The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner: Who Lived Eight ...

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York, mariner.

Having Leen cast on Shore hyvSlnp^u'in'T^ ,

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A\"1TH AN ACCOINT

MiittEn.fcy Himself
VOL.1.

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L O X D O >^ ,

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1790.

V._.^

26-0

^

S/P.

ADVER TISEMENT.

npHE Publifher of this fplendid Edition
of Robinson Crusoe has often ex-
perienced the moft liberal encouragement for
works which, being large, might feem ha-
zardous for an individual ; but on no occa-
fion has he been honoured and affifted by
a Subfcription more adequate to the great-
nefs of his expences, or more encouraging
to the adivity of his future endeavours.—
He begs leave to return his fincere thanks ;
and he will only add, that his gratitude for
fuch repeated favours will continue through
life.

Jugt//l 20/*, 1790,

Vol. I.

THE

PREFACE.

T F ever the ftory of any private man's ad-
ventures in the world were worth making
public, and were acceptable when publifhed,
the Editor of this account thinks this will be
fo.

The wonders of this man's life exceeds all
that (he thinks) is to be found extant ; the life
of one man being fcarce capable of a greater
variety.

The ftory is told with modefty, with fe-
rioufnefs, and with a religious application of
events to the ufes to which wife men always
apply them ; viz. to the inftru£tion of others,
by this example, and to juftify and honour
the wifdom of Providence in all the variety
of circumftances, let them happen how they
will.

The

Xll

The Editor believes the thing to be a juft
hiftory of fads ; neither is there any appearance
of fiction in it : and however thinks, becaufe
all fuch things 'are difputed, that the improve-
ment of it, as w^ell to the diverfion, as to the
inftrudion of the Reader,' vsrill be the fame ;
and as fuch, he thinks, without farther com-
pliment to the world, he does them a great
fersdce in the publication.

DIRECTIONS

FOR

PLACING THE CUTS,
im the SUBJECT of the PLATES.

.^ I* L A T E I.

TITLE Page to Vol. L with a beautiful Vignette, com-
pofedof the Wreck of a Ship.

: SUBJECT OF PLATE II.

Frontispiece to Vol. L — Robinfon Crufoe taking leave
of his Father and Mother.

" My father was a wife and grave man ; gave me ferious and
excellent counfel againft what he forefaw was my defign. He
called me one morning into his chamber, where he was confined by
the gout, and expoftulated very warmly with me upon this fub-
jeft." Seepage 2.

SUBJECT or PLATE III.

Robinfon Crufoe (hipwrecked, and clinging to a Rock.
" I recovered a little before the return of the waves ; and fee-
ing I fhould be covered again with the water, I refolved to hold
faft by a piece of the rock." Seepage ^6^

SUBJECT OF PLATE IV.

Robinfon Crufoe upon his Raft.

** Having plundered the fliip of what was portable and fit to
hand out, I began with the cables ; and cutting the great cable
in pieces, fuch as I could move, I got two cables and a hawfer on
(hore, with all the iron-work I could get ; and having cut down
the fprit-fail yard, and the mizen-yard, and every thing I could to
make a large raft, I loaded it with all tlie heavy goods, and came
»way." Seepage 69.

A% ^. SUBJECT

PLATES.

SUBJECT o» PLATE V.

Robinfon Crufoc at work in liis Cave.

*^ I made abundance of things even without tools^ and fome
ivith no niore tools than an adze and a hatchet, which perhaps
were never made before, and that with infinite labour.'' Su

fage 84,

SUBJECT OF PLATE VL

Robinfon Crufoc difcovers the Print of a Man's Foot.

** I was exceedinriy furprifed with the print of a man's naked
foot on the fhore, which was very plain to be feen in the fand. I
flood like one thunderftruck, or as if I had feen an apparition ;
I liftenedy I looked round me, I could hear nothing, nor fee any-
thing. ' ' See page 1 94.

- SUBJECT OF PLATE VII.

Robinfon Crufoe firft fees and refcues his man Friday.

** Having knocked this fellow down, the other who purfued
him flopped, as if he had been frightened ; and I advanced apace
towards him ; but, as I came nearer, I perceived prefently he had
a bow and arrow, and was fitting it to fhoot at me ; fo I was
then neceilitated to fhoot at him hrft, which I did, and killed him
at the firfl fhot." See page 256.

SUBJECT OF PLATE VIII.

Robinfon Crufoe and Friday making a Boat.

** I fhewed him how to cut it out with tools, which, after I
had fhewed him fiow to ufe, he did very readily ; and, in about a
month's hard labour, we finifhed it, and made it very handfome."
See page 287.

SUBJECT OF PLATE IX.

Robinfon Crufoe and Friday making a Tent to lodge Fri*
day's Father and the Spaniard.

** Friday and I carried them up both together between us ;
but, when we got them to the outfide of our wall or fortification,
we were at a worfe lofs than before, for it was impofiible to get
them over ; and I was refolved no^ to break it down, fo I let
to work again, and Friday and I, in about two hours time, made
a very handfome tent, covered with old fails, and above that,
with boughs of trees." Seepage 304,

A 3 VOU

PLATES,
VOL IL

P L A T E X.

Title to Vol. IL with a beautiful Vignette, compofcd of
Robinfon Crufoe's Implements of Hufbandry.

SUBJECT OF PLATE XI.

Frontispiece. — Robinlon Crufoe's firft Interview with
the Spaniards on his fecond Landing.

** Firft he turned to me, and pointing to them, faid, Thefe,
Sir, are feme of the gentlemen who owe their lives to you : and
then turning to them, and pointing to me, he let them know who
I was : upon which they all came up one by one, not as if they
had been failors, and ordinary fellows, and I the like, but really
as if they had been ambafladors or noblemen, and I a monarch
or a great conqueror." Seepage 42.

SUBJECT OF PLATE XIL

The Plantation of the two Engliflimen.

** The two men had innumerable young trees planted about
their hut, that when you came to the place, nothing was to be
feen but a wood ; and though they had their plantation twice de-
molifhed, once by their own countrymen, and once by the enemy,
as (hall be (hewn in its place ; yet they had reftored all again, and
every thing was flourifhing and thriving about them." Seepage 90.

- SUBJECT OF PLATE XIU.

The two Engliflimen retreating with their Wives and
Children.

" Now, having great reafon to believe that they were betrayed*
the firft thing they did was to bind the flaves which were left,
and caufe two of the three men, whom they brought with the
women, who, it feems, proved very faithful to them, to lead them
with their two wives, and whatever they could carry away with
them, to their retired place in the woods.'* See page 96.

SUBJECT OF PLATE XIV.

The Spaniards and Engliflimen burning the Indians' boats.

** They went to work immediately with the boats ; and getting
fome dry wood together from a dead tree, they tried to fet fome
of them on fire, but they were fo wet, that they would fcarce
burn ; however, the fire fo burned the upper part, that it foon
made them unlit for fwimming in the fea as boats." Seepage 113.

SUBJECT

PLATES.

SUBJECT or PLATE XV.

Robinfo'n Crufoc diftributing Tools of Hufbandry among
the Inhabitants

** I brought them out all my ftore of tools, and gave every man
a digging-fpade, a fhovel, and a rake, for we had no harrows or
ploughs ; and to every feparate place a pick-axe, a crow, a broad-
axe, and a fa w." See page 1 1^.

SUBJECT OF PLATE XVI.

A View of the Plantation of the three Englifhmen.

** Upon this he faced about juft before me, as he walked
along, and putting me to a full ftop, made me a very low bow :
I moil heartily thank God, and you. Sir, fays he, for giving me
fo evident a call to fo blefled a work." See page 1 5 x .

PLATE XVII.

Head of De Foe to face the Title of the LIFE.

^S^/^£%

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rA

•/

THE

LIFE

AND

ADVENTURES

O F

ROBINSON CRUSOE,

I WAS born in the year 1632, In the city ofTork^
of a good family, though not of that country^
my father being a foreigner of Brerimn^ who fettled
firft at Hull: he got a good ^ate by merchandize,
and leaving off his trade, lived afterward at Tqrkj
from whence he had married my mother, whofe
relations were named Robinfon^ a very good family in
that country, and from whom I was called Robin/on
Kreutznaer ; but by the ufual corruption of words
in England^ we are now called, nay we call ourfelves,
and write our name Crufoe^ and fo my companions
always called me.

I had two elder brothers, one of which was lieu-
tenant colonel to an Englijh regiment of foot in
Flanders^ formerly commanded by the famous colonel

Vol. L B Lockhart^

12 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

hockhart^ and was killed at the battle near Dunkirk
againft the Spaniards ; what became of my fecond
brother I never knew, any ntore than my father or
mother did know what was become of me.

Being the third fon of the family, and not bred
to any trade, my head began to be filled very early
with rambling thoughts : my father, who was very
ancient, had given me a competent fhare of learning,
as far as houfe education, and a country free-fchool
generally goes, and defigned me for the law \ but I
would be fatisfied with nothing but going to fea; and
my inclination to this led me fo ftrongly againft the
will, nay the commands of my father, and againft
all the entreaties and perfuafions of my mother and
other friends, that there feemed to be fomething
fatal in that propenfion of nature tending diredly to
the life of mifery which was to befal me*

My father, a wife and grave man, gave me ferious
atid excellent counfel againft what he forefaw was
my defign. He called me one morning into his
chamber, where he was confined by the gout, and
expoftulated very warmly with me upon this fub-
jeft :. he afked me what reafons more than a meer
wandering inclination I had for leaving my father's
houfe and my native country, where I might be well
introduced, and had a profpefk of raifing my fortune
by application and induftery, with a life of eafe and
pleafure. He told me it was for men of defperate
fortunes on one hand, or of afpiring fuperior for-^
tunes on the other, who went abroad upon adven«
tures, to rife by enterprize, and make themfelves
famous in undertakings of a nature out of the com*
mon road j that thefe things were all either too far

above

t)F ROBmSON CRU$o£. 3

Ubove me, or too. far below me ; that mine wa$ the
middle ftate, or what might be called the upper
ftation of low life^ which he had found by long
^experience was the beft ftate in the world, the moft:
fuited to human happinefs, not expofed to the mife-
ries and hardfliips, the labour and fufterings of the
mechanic part of mankind, and not embarrafled
with the pride, luxury, ambition, and envy of the
upper part of mankind. He told me, I might judge
of the happinefs of this ftate, by this one thing, viz.
That this was the ftate of life which all other people
envied ; that Kings have frequently lamented the
miferable confequences of being born to great things,
and wifti they had been placed in the middle of the
two extremes, between the mean and the great ; that
the wife man gave his teftimony to this as the juft
ftandard of true felicity, when he prayed to have
neither poverty or riches.

He bid me obferve it, and I fliould always find,
that the calamities of life were fhared among the
upper and lower part of mankind; but that the mid-
dle ftation had the feweft difafters, and was not ex-
pofed to fo many viciflitudes as the higher or lower
part of mankind ; nay, they were not fubjefled to fo
many diftempers and uneafmeffes either of body or
mind, as thofe were, who by vicious living, luxury
and extravagancies on one hand, or by hard labour,
want of neceflaries, and mean or infufficient diet oix
the other hand, bring diftempers upon themfelves
by the natural confequences of their way of living ;
that the middle ftation of life was calculated for all
kind of virtues and all kind of enjoyments ; that

B 2 peace

4 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

peace and plenty were the hand-maids of a middle
fortune; that temperance, moderation, quietnefs,
heakh, fociety, all agreeable diverfions, and all de-
firable pleafures, were the bleffings attending the
middle ftation of life ; that this way men went filently
and fmoothly through the world, and comfortably
out of it, not embarrafled with the labours of the
hands or of the head, not fold to the life of flavery
for daily bread, or harraffed with perplexed circum-
ftances, which rob the foul of peace, and the body
of reft ; not enraged with the pafGon of envy, or
fecret burning luft of ambition for great things.; but
in eafy circumftances Aiding gently through the world,
and fenfibly tafting the fweets of living, without the
bitter, feeling that they are happy, and learning by
every day's experience to know it more fenfibly.

After this, he prefled me earneftly, and in the
moft affectionate manner, not to play the young
man, not to precipitate myfelf into miferies which
nature and the ftation of life I was born in "feemed
to have provided againft ; that I was under no ne-
ceffity of feeking my bread ; that he would do well
for me, and endeavour to enter me fairly into the
ftation of life which he had been juft recommending
to me ; and tliat if I was not very eafy and happy in
the world, it muft be my mere fate or fault that muft
hinder it, and that he Ihould have nothing to anfwer
for, having thus difcharged his duty in warning me
againft meafures which he knew would be to my
hurt : in a word, that as he would do very kind
things for me if I would ftay and fettle at home as he
directed, fo he would not have fo much hand in my
misfortunes, as to give me any encouragement to go

away :

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. g

away: and to clofe all, he told me I. had my elder
brother for an example, to whom he had ufed the
fame earned: perfuafions to keep him from going Into
the low country wars, hut could not prevail, his
young defires prompting him to run into the army,
where he was killed ; and though he faid he would
not ceafe to pray for me, yet he would venture to fay
to me, that if I did take this foolilh ftep, God would
not blels me, and I would have leifure hereafter to
refleft upon having neglefted his counfel when there
might be none to affift in my recovery.

I obferved in this laft part of his difcourfe, which
was truly prophetic, though I fuppofe my father did
not know it to be fo himfelf ; I fay, I obferved the
tears run down his face very plentifully, and efpe-
cially when he fpoke of my brother who was killed;
and that when he fpoke of my having leifure to re-
pent, and none to affift me, he was fo moved, that
he broke off the difcourfe, and told me, his heart
was fo full, he could fay no more to me.

I was fincerely afFefted with this difcourfe, as
indeed- who could be otherwife ? and I refolved not
to think of going abroad any more, but to fettle
at home according to my father's defire. But alas !
a few days wore it all off; and in fhort, to prevent
any of my father's farther importunities, in a few
weeks after I refolved to run quite away from him.
However, I did not adt fo haftily neither as my firft
heat of refolution prompted, but I took my mother,
at a time when I thought her a little plealanter than
ordinary, and told her, that my thoughts were fo
entirely bent upon feeing the world, that I fhould
never fettle to any thing with refolution enough to go

B 3 through

6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

through with it, and my father 4iad better give me
his confent than force me to go without it ; that I
was now eighteen years old, which was too late to
go apprentice to a trade, or clerk to an attorney ;
that I was fure, if I did, I fhould never ferve out
my time, and I fhould certainly run away from my
mafter before my time was out, and go to fea ; and
if Ihe would fpeak to my father to let me go one
voyage abroad, if I came home again and did not
like it, I would go no more, and I would promife by
a double diligence to recover that time I had loft.

This put my mother into a great paffion : fhe told
me, ftie knew it would be to no purpofe to fpeak to
my father upon any fuch fubjefl: ; that he knew too
well what was my intereft to give his confent to any
fuch thing fo much for my hurt, and that fhe won-,
dered how I could think of any fuch thing after fuch
a difcourfe as I had had with my father, and fuch
kind and tender expreffions as fhe knew my father
had ufed to me ; and that in fhort, if I would ruin,
myfelf, there was no help for me; but I might
depend I fhould never have their confent to it : that
for her part fhe would not have fo much hand in my
deftrudtion; and I fhould never have it to fay, that
my mother was willing when my father was not.

Though my mother refufed to move it to my fa-
ther, yet, as I have heard afterwards, fhe reported
all the difcourfe to him, and that my father, after
fliewing a great concern at it, faid to her with a figh,
" That boy might he happy if he would ftay at
home, but if he goes abroad, he will be the moft
miferable wretch that was ever born ; I can give no
cpnfent to it/*

It

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 7

It was not till ahnoft a year after this that I broke
loofe, though in the mean time I continued obfti-
nately deaf to all propofals of fettling to bufmefs, and
frequently expoftulating with my father and mother
about their being Usi pofitively determined againft
what they knew my inclinations prompted me to.
But being one day at Hully where I went cafually,
and without any purpofe of making an elopement
that time ; but I fay, being there, and one of my
companions being going by fea to London, in his
father's Ihip, and prompting me to go with them,
with the common allurement of fea-faring men, -u/z.
That it fhould coft me nothing for my paffage, I
confulted neither father or mother any more, not
fo much as fent them word of it j but leaving them
to hear of it as they might, without afking God's
blefling, or my father's, without any confideration
of circumftances or confequences, and in an ill hour,
God knows, on the firft of September 1651, I went
on board a fhip bound for London ; never any young
adventurer's misfortunes, I believe, began fooner, or
continued -longer than mine. The fhip was no fooner
gotten out of the Htanber, but the wind began to
blow, and the waves to rife in a moft frightful man-
ner ; and as I had never been at fea before, I was
moft inexpreffibly fick in body, and terrified in
mind : I began now ferioufly to reflefl: upon what I
had done, and how juftly 1 was overtaken by the
judgment of Heaven for my wicked leaving my fa-
ther's houfe, and abandoning my duty; all the good
counfel of my parents, my father's tears and my mo-
ther's entreaties came now frefh into my mind, and
my confcience, which was not yet come to the pitch

35 4 ' of

8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

of hardnefs to which It has been fince, reproached
me with the contempt of advice; and the breach of
my duty to God and my father.

All this while the ftorm increafed, and the fea,
which I had never been upon before, went very high,
though nothing like what I have feen many times
fmcej no,, nor like what I faw a few days after:
but it was enough to affecil: me then, who was but
a young failor, and had never known any thing
of the matter. I expefted every wave would have
fwallowed us up, and that every time the (hip fell
down, as I thought, in the trough or hollow of the-
fea, we fliould never rife more; and in this agony
of mind I made many vows and refolutions, that if
it would ple'afe God here to fpare my life' this one
voyage, if ever I got once my foot upon dry land
again I would go direftly home to my father, and
never fet it into a fliip again while I lived ; that I
would take his advice, and never run liiyfelf into
fuch miferies as thefe any more. Now I faw plainly
the goodnefs of his obfervations about the middle
ftation of life, how eafy, how comfortably he had
lived all his days, and never had been expofed to
tempefts at fea, or troubles on fliore ; and I refolved
that I would, like a true repenting prodigal, go home
to my father.

Thefe wife and fober thoughts continued all the
while the ftorm continued, and indeed fome time
after ; but the next day the wind was abated and the
fea calmer, and I began to be a little inur'd to it :
however I was very grave for all that day, being alfo
a little fea-fick ftill ; but towards night the weather
cleared up, the wind was quite over, and a charm-
ing

OF ROBINSON CRUSpEf - 9

ing fine evening followed ; the fun went down per-
fedly clear, and rofe fo the next morning ; and
having little or no wind, and a fmooth fea, the fun
fliining upon it, the fight was, as I thought, the
moft delightful that ever I faw.

I had flept well in the night, and was now no
' more fea-fick, but very chearful, looking with won-
der upon the fea that was fo rough and terrible the
day before, and could be fo calm and fo pleafant in
fo little time after. And now, , lead my good refolu-
tions Ihould continue, my companion, who had in-
deed inticed me away, comes to me, " Well^ Bob,'*
fays he, (clapping me upon the Ihoulder,) how do
you do after it ? I warrant you were frighted j wa^rCt
you^ laji nighty when it blew but a cap full of wind? A
cap full da you call it ? faid I, // was a terrible Jiorm :
Ajiorm^youfoolyou^ replied he, do you call that a Jiorm?
why it was nothing at all ; give us but a good fhip and
Jea-room^ and we think nothing offuch a f quail of wind
as that y but youWe but afreJh'Waterfailor^^oh^ comCj
let us make a bowl of punch and we'll forget all that j
do you fee what charming weather it is now ? To make
fliort this fad part of my ftory, we went the old way
of all failors ; the punch was made, and I was made
drunk with it, and in that one nights wickednefs I
drowned all my repentance, all my refledions upon
my pafl: conduft, and all my refolutions for my
future. In a word, as the fea was returned to its
fmoothnefs of furface and fettled calmnefs by the
abatement of that ftorm, fo the hurry of my thoughts
being over, my fears and apprehenfions of being
fwallowed up by the fea being forgotten, and the
current of my former defires returned, I entirely for-
got

10 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

got the VOWS and promifes that I made in my diftreft*
I found indeed fome intervals of refleftion, and the
ferious thoughts did, as it were, endeavour to
return again fometimes, but I fhook them oflf, and
roufed myfelf from them as it were from a diftemper,
and applying myfelf to drinking and company, foon
mattered the return of thofe fits, for fo I called them,
and I had in five or fix days got as compleat a vic-
tory over confcience as any young fellow that re-
folved not to be troubled with it could defire : But
I was to have another trial for it ftill ; and Provi-
dence, as in fuch cafes generally it does, refolved to
leave me entirely without excufe. For if I would
not take this for a deliverance, the next was to be
fuch a one as the worft and moft hjardened wretch
among us would confefs both the danger and the
mercy.

The fixth day of our being, at fea we came into
Tarmouth Roads ; the wind having been contrary,,
and the weather calm, we had made but little way
fince the ftorm. Here we were obliged to come to
anchor, and here we lay, the wind continuing con-
trary, viz. at fouth'Weft, for feven or eight days,
during which time a great many Ihips from New^
cajlle came into the fame roads, as the common har-
bour where the fhips ipight wait for a wind for the

river.

We had not however rid here fo long, but fhould
have tided it up the river, but that the wind blew
too frefli ; and after we had lain four or five days,
blew very hard. However the roads being reckoned
as good as a harbour, the anchorage good, and our
ground-tackle very ftrong, our men were unconr

cernedj

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. H

cetned, and not in the leaft apprehenfive of danger,
but fpent the time in reft and mirth, after the
manner of the fea ; but the eighth day in the morning,-
the wind increafed, and we had all hands at work
to ftrike our top-mafts, and make every thing fnug
and clofe, that the Ihip might ride as eafy as poffible.
By noon the fea went very high indeed, and our jfhip
rid forecajile in, fhippM feveral feas, and we thought
once or twice' our anchor had come home; upon
which our mafter ordered out the fheet anchor ; fo
that we rode with two anchors a-head, and the cables
vered out to the better end.

By this time it blew a terrible ftorm indeed ; and
now I began to fee terror and amazement in the
faces even of the feamen themfelves. The mafter,
though vigilant in the bufinefs of preferving the fhip,
yet as he went in and out of his cabin by me, I
could hear him foftjy to himfelf fay feveral times.
Lord be merciful to us, we Jhall he all lo/l, we Jhall be
all undone ; and the like. During thefe firft hurries,
I was ftupid, lying ftill in my cabin, which was in the
fteerage, and cannot defcribe my temper : I could ill
re-affume the firft penitence which I had fo apparently
trampled upon, and hardened myfelf againft: I
thought the bitternefs of death had been paft, and
that this would be nothing like the firft. But
when the mafter himfelf came by me, as I faid juft
now, and faid we fliould be all loft, I was dreadfully
frighted: I got up out of my cabin, and looked
put ; but fuch a difmal fight I never faw : the fea
^ent mountains high, and broke upon us every three *
or four minutes : when I could look about, I could
fe^ nothing but diftrefs round us : two fhips that rid

near

12 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

near us, we found, had cut their mafls by the
board, being deep loaden ; and our men cried out,
that a fhip which rid about a mile a-head of us was
foundered. Two more fhips being driven from their
anchors, were run out of the roads to fea, at all
adventures, and that with not a mad {landing. The
light fhips fared the beft, as not fo much labouring
in the fea ; but two or three of them drove, and
came clofe by us, running away with only their fprit-
fail out before the wind.

Towards evening the mate and boatfwain begged
the mafter of our fhip to let them cut away the fore-
maft, which he was very unwilling to : but the boat-
fwain proteftin^ to him, that if he did not, the fhip
would founder, he confented ; and when they had
cut away the fore-mafl, the main-mad flood fo loofe,
and fhook the fhip fo much, they were obliged to
cut her away alfo, and make a clear deck.

Any one may judge what a condition I miifl be in
at all this, who was but a young failor, and who had
been in fuch a fright before at but a little. But if I
can exprefs at this diflance the thoughts I had about
me at that time, I was in tenfold more horror of
mind upon account of my former conviftions, and
the having returned from them to the refolutions I
had wickedly taken at firfl, than I was at death it-
felf ; and thefe, added to the terror of the florm,
put me in fuch a condition, that I can by no words
defcribe it. But the worfl was not come yet ; the
florm continued with fuch fury, that the feamen
themfelves acknowledged they had never known a
worfe. We had a good fhip, but fhe was deep loaden,
and wallowed in the fea, that the feamen every now

and

<^F ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 3

and then cried out, Ihe would founder. It was my
advantage in one refped, that I did not know what
they meant by founder, till I enquired. However,
the ftorm was fo violent, that I faw what is not often
feen, the mafter, the boat-fwain, and fome others
more fenfible than the reft, at their prayers, and ex-
pelling every moment when the fhip would go to the
bottom. In the middle of the night, and under all
the reft of our diftreffes, one of the men that had
been down on purpofe to fee, cried out, we had fprung
a leak ; another faid there was four foot water in the
hold. Then all hands were called to the pump. At
that very word my heart, as I thought, died within
me, and I fell backwards upon the fide of my bed
where I fat, into the cabin. However, the men
rouzed me,* and told me, that I that was able to do
nothing before, was as well able to pump as another;
at which I ftirred up, and went to the pump and
worked very heartily. While this was doing, the
mafter feeing fome light colliers, who not able to
ride out the ftorm, were obliged to flip and run aw^ay
to fea, and would come near us, ordered to fire a
gun as a fignal of diftrefs. I who knew nothing what
that meant, was fo furprifed, that I thought the fhip
had broke, or fome dreadful thing happened. In a
word, I was fo furprifed, that I fell down in a fwoon.
As this was a time when every body had his own life
to think of, nobody minded me, or what was' be-
come of me ; but another man ftept up to the pump,
and thrufting me afide with his foot, let me lye,
thinking I had been dead j and it was a great while
before I came to myfelf.

Wc

14 LIFE AND ADVEl^ITtJIlES

We worked on, but the water encreafing In th*
hold, it was apparent that the Ihip would founder j
and though the ftorm began to abate a little, yet as
it was not poffible fhe could fwim till we might run
into a port, fo the mailer continued firing guns for
help ; and a light fhip who had rid it out juft a-head
of us, ventured a boat out to help us. It was with
the utmoft hazard the boat came near us, but it was
impoffible for us to get on board, or for the boat to
Ke near the (hip's fide; till at laft, the men rowing very
heartily, and venturing their lives to fave ours, our^
men caft them a rope over the ftern with the buoy ta
it, and then vered it out a great length, which they
after great labour and hazard took hold of, and we
haul'd them clofe under our llern and got all into
their boat. It was to no purpofe for them or us after
we were in the boat to think of reaching to their own
fhip, fo all agreed to let her drive, and only to pull
her in towards Aore as much as we could, and
our mafter promifed them, that if the boat was
ftaved upon fhore he would make it good to their
mafter; fo partly rowing and partly driving, our boat
went away to the norward, floaping towards the fhore
almoft as far as Winterton-Nefs.

We were not much more than a quarter of an
hour out of our fhip but we faw her fink, and then
I underftood for the firft time what was meant by a
fhip foundering in the fea ; I muft acknowledge I had
hardly eyes to look up when the feamen told me
fhe was finking ; for from that moment they rather
put me into the boat than that I might be faid to go
in ; my heart was as it were dead within me, partly

with

OP ROBINSON CRUSOE- 1$

\cith fright, partly with horror of mind, and the
thoughts of what was yet before me.

While we were in this condition, the men yet
labouring at the oar to bring the boat near the fhore,
we could fee, (when our boat mounting the waves we
were able to fee the fhore,) a great many people
running along the fliore to affift us when we fhould
come near, but we made but flow way towards the
ihore, nor were we able to reach the fliore,
till being pafl: the light-houfe at Winterton^ the
flK)re falls off to the weflward towards Cromer^ and
fo the land broke off a little the violence of the wind:
here we got in, and, though not without much dif-
ficulty, got all fafe on fliore, and walked afterwards
on foot to Tarmouth^ where, as unfortunate men, we
were ufed with great humanity, as well by the ma-
gifl:rates of the town, who afligned us good quarters,
as by particular merchants and owners of fliips, and
had money given us fufficient to c*ry us either to
London or back to H«//, as we thought fit.

Had I now had the fenfe to have gone back to
Hm//, and have gone home, I had been happy, and
my father, an emblem of our blefled Saviour's
parable, had even killed the fatted calf for me ; for
hearing the fliip I went away in was cafl: away in
Tarmouth Road, it was a great while before he had
any aflurance that I was not drowned.

But my ill fate pufhed me on now with an obfli-
nacy that nothing could refift ; and though I had
feveral times loud calls from my reafon and my more
compofed judgment to go home, yet I had no power
to do it. I know not what to call this, nor will I
urge that it is a fecret over-ruling decree that hurries

us

tS LIFE AND ADVENTURES

US on to be the inftruments of our own deftruftion,
even though it be before us, and that we pufh upon
it with our eyes open. Certainly nothing but fome fuch
decreed unavoidable mifery attending, and which it
was impoffible for liie to efcape, could have pufhed me
forward againft the calm reafonings and perfuafions of
my moft retired thoughts, and againft two fuch vifible
inftruftions as I had met with in my firft attempt.

My comrade, who had helped to harden me be-
fore, and who was the^mafter's fon, was now lefs
forward than I ; the firft time he fpoke to me after
we were at Tarmouthj which was not till two or
three days, for we were feparated in the town to
feveral quarters ; I fay, the firft time he faw me, it
appeared his tone was altered; and looking me-
lancholy, and Ihaking his head, afked me how I did,
and telling his father who I was, and how I had
come this voyage only for a trial, in order to go
farther abroad j his father turning to me with a very
grave and concerned tone, Toung many fays he, you
ought never to go to fea any more ; you ought to take
this for a plain and vifible token that you are not to be a
feafaring man. Why, Sir, faid 1, will you go to fea
no more? 7hat is another cafe^ faid he, // is my
callings and therefore my duty ; but as you made this
voyage for a trials you fee what a tafie Heaven has given
you of what you are to expe6l if you perfifi ; perhaps this
is all befallen us on your account ^ like Jonah in thejhip of
Tarftiifh. Pray^ continued he, what are you ? and
en what account did you go to fea? Upon that I told
him fome of my ftory ; at the end of which he burft
out with a ft range kind of paffion ; What had I done,
fays he, that fuch an unhappy wretch fliould come

into

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I J

into my fliip ; I would not fet my foot in the fame
fliip with thee again for a thoufand pounds. This
indeed was, as I faid, an excurfion of his fpirits,
which w^-e yet agitated by the fenfe of his lofs, and
was farther than he could have authority to go.
However he afterwards talked very gtavely to me,
exhorted me to go back to my father and not tempt
Providence to my ruin ; told me I might fee a vifible
hand of heaven againft me, and young man^ faid he,
depend npon it^ if you do not go backj wherever you gOj
you will meet with nothing but difajiers and difappoint*
mentSj till your father* s words are fulfilled upon you.

We parted foon after; for I made him little an-
fwer, and I faw him no more ; which way he >Yent,
I know not. As for me, having fome money in my
pocket, I travelled to London by land ; and there, as
well as on the road, had many ftruggles with myfelf,
what courfe of life I fhould take, and whether I
Ihould go home, or go to fea.

As to going home, fliame oppofed the beft motions
that offered to my thoughts ; and it immediately oc-
curred to me how I Ihould be laughed at among
the neighbours, and fhould be afliamed to fee, not
my father and mother only, but even every body
elfe ; from whence I liave fmce often obferved, how
incongruous and irrational the common temper of
mankind is, efpecially of youth, to that reafon which
ought to guide them in fuch cafes, viz^ that they are
not afliamed to fin, and yet are afhamed to repent ;
nor afliamed of the adion for which they ought
juftly to be efteemed fools, but are afhamed of the
returning, which only can make them be efleemed
wife men.

Yqu I. C . In

iS LIFE AND AbVENTURES

In this ftate of life however I remained feme time^
uncertain what meafures to take, and what courfe of
life to lead. An irrefiftible reludtance continued to
going home ; and as I flayed a while, the remem-
brance of the diftrefs I had been in wore ofFj and
as that abated, the little motion I had in my defires
to a return wore off with it, till at laft I quite laid
afide the thoughts of it, and looked out for a voyage^

That evil influence which carried me firfl: away
from my father's houfe, that hurried me into the
wild and indigefted notion of raifmg my fortune ;
and that impreft thofe conceits fo forcibly upon me,
as to make me deaf to all good advice, and to the en-
treaties and even the command of my father : I fay,
the fame influence, whatever it was, prefented the
moft unfortunate of all enterprizes to my view ; and
I went oA board a veflel bound to the coaft of Africa;
or as our failors vulgarly call it, a voyage to Guinea.

It was my great misfortune that in all thefe adven-
tures I did not fhip myfelf as a failorj whereby,
though I might indeed have worked a little harder
than ordinary, yet at the fame time I had learned
the duty and office of a fore-maft man ; and in time
might have qualified myfelf for a mate or lieutenant,
if not for a mafter. But as it was always my fate to
choofe for the worfe, fo I did here ; for having mo-
ney in my pocket, and good clothes upon my back,
I would always go on board in the habit of a gentle-
man ; and fo I neither had any bufmefs in the ihip,
or learned to do any.

It was my lot firfl: of all to fall into pretty good
company in London^ which does not always happen
to fuch loofe and unguided young fellows as I then

bt kOBlNSON CRUSOE. T9

V^as ; the devil generally not omitting to lay fome
fnare for them very early : but it was not fo with me.
I firft fell acquainted with the mafter of a fhip who
had been on the coaft of Guinea; and who having had
very good fuccefs there, was refolved to go again ;
and who taking a fancy to my converfation, which
was not at all difagreeable at that time, hearing me
fay I had a mind to fee the world, told me if I would
go the voyage with him I fhould be at no exp^nce ;
I fliould be his mefs-mate and his companion, and if
I could carry any thing with me, I Ihould have all
the advantage of it that the trade would admit ; and
perhaps I might meet with fome encouragement.

I embraced the oflfer, and entering into a ftrift
fiiendfhip with this captain, who was an honeft and
plain-dealing man, I went the voyage with him, and
carried a fmall adventure with me, which by the
difmterefted honefty of my friend, the captain, I
increafed very confiderably ; for I carried about 40/.
in fuch toys and trifles as the captain direfted me to
buy. This 40 /• I had muftered together by the affift-
ance of fome of my relations whom I correfponded
with, and who, I believe, got my father, or at leafl
my mother, to contribute fo much as that to my firft
adventure.

This was the only voyage which I may fay was
fuccefsful in all my adventures, and which I owe to
the integrity and honefty of my friend the captain,
under whom alfo I got a competent knowledge of the
mathematics, and the rules of navigation, learned
how to keep an account of the ftiip's courfe, take an
obfervation, and, in fhort, to imderftand fome things
that were needful to be underftood by a failor : for

C 2 as

jiO LIFE AND ADVENTURES

as he took delight to inftruft me, I took delight td
learn ; and, in a word, this voyage made me both a
failor and a merchant: for I brought home 5 pounds 9
ounces of gold duft for my adventure, which yielded
me in London at my return, almoft 300 /• and this
filled me with thofe afpiring thoughts which have
fince fo compleated my ruin.

Yet even in this voyage I had my misfortunes too ;
particularly, that I was continually fick, being thrown
into a violent calenture by the exceffive heat of the
climate ; our principal trading being upon the coaftj
from the latitude of 15 degrees north even to the line
itfelf.

I was now fet up for a Guinea trader ; and my
friend, to my great misfortune, dying foon after his
arrival, I refolved to go the fame voyage again, and
I embarked in the fame veffel with one who was his
mate in the former voyage, and had now got the com-
mand of the fhip. This was the unhappieft voyage
that ever man made ; for though I did not carry
quite 100 /. of my new gained wealth, fo-that I had
J200 left, and which I lodged with my friend's wi-
dow, who was very juft to me, yet I fell into terrible
misfortunes in this voyage ; and the firft was this,
n)iz. Our fliip making her courfe towards the Ca^
nary Iflands, or rather between thofe iflands and the
African Ihore, was furprized in the grey of the
morning, by a Turkijh rover oi Sallee^ who gave
chafe to us with all the fail fhe could hiake. We
crowded alfo as much canvas as our yards would
fpread, or our mails carry, to have got clear; but
finding the pirate gained upon us, and would cer-
tainly come up with us in a few hours, we prepared

to

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 2t

to fight ; our fhip having 1 2 guns, and the rogue 1 8.
About three in the afternoon he came up with us,
and bringing to, by miftake, juft athwart our quar-
ter, inftead of athwart our ftern, as he intended,
we brought 8. of our guns to bear on that fide, and
poured in a broad-fide upon him, which made him
fheer oflF again, after returning our fire, and pouring
in alfo his fmall fhot from near 200 men which he
had on bpard. However, we had not a man touched,
all our men keeping clofe. He prepared to attack
us again, and we to defend ourfelves ; but laying us
on board the next time upon our other quarter, he
entered 60 men upon our decks, who immediately
fell to cutting and hacking the decks and rigging.
We plyed them with fmall fhot, half-pikes, powder-
chefls, and fuch like, and cleared our deck of them
twice. However, to cut fhort this melancholy part
of our flory, our fhip being difabled, and three of
our men killed, and eight wounded, we were obliged
to yield, and were carried all prifoners into Sallee^ a
port belonging to the Moors.

The ufage I had there was not fo dreadful as at firft
I apprehended, nor was I carried up the country to
the emperor's court, as the refl of our men were, but
was kept by the captain of the rover, as his proper
prize, and made his flave, being young and nimble,
and fit for his bufinefs. At this furprifmg change of
my circumflances, from a merchant to a miferable
flave, I was perfeftly overwhelmed; and now I
looked back upon my father's prophetic difcourfe
to me, that I fhould be miferable, and have none to
relieve me, which I thought was now fo efFeftually
brought to pafc, that I could not be worfe ; that now

C 3 the

C2 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

the hand of Heaven had overtaken me, and I was
undone without redemption. But, alas ! this was
but a tafte of the mifery I was to go through, as will
appear in the fequel of the ftory.

As my new patron or mailer had taken me home
to his houfe, fo I was in hopes that he would take
me with him when he went to fea again, believing
that it would fome time or other be his fate to be
taken by a Spanijh or Portugal man of war ; and that
then I fhould be fet at liberty. But this hope of
mine was foon taken away; for when he went to fea,
he left me on fhore to look after his little garden,
and do the common drudgery of flaves about his
houfe; and when he came home again from his
cruife, he ordered me to lye in the cabin to Ipok
after the fhip.

Here I meditated nothing but my efcape; and
what method I might take to eflFe£l it, but found
no way that had the leaft probability in it : nothing
prefented to make the fuppofition of it rational ; for
I had nobody to communicate it to, that would
embark with me ; no fellow-flave, no Engllfhrnariy
Jrijhman^ or Scotfjnan there but myfelf ; fo that for
two years, though I often pleafed myfelf with the
imagination, yet I never had the lead encouraging
profpeQ: of putting it in practice.

After about two years an odd circumftance pre-
fented itfelf, which put the old thought of making
fome attempt for my liberty again in my head : my
patron lying at home ' longer than ufual, without
fitting out his fhip, which, as I heard, was for want
of money, he ufed conftantly, once or twice a weekj^
fometimes oftener, if the weather was fair, to take

the

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 23

the fliip's pinnace, and go out into the road afifhing;
and as he always took me and a young Marefco with
him to row the boat, we made him very merry, and
I proved very dexterous in catching fifh; infomuch
that fometimes he would fend me with a Moor^ one of
his kinfmen, and the youth, the Marefco as they cal-
led him, to catch a difli of fifli for him.

It happened one time, that going a fifhing in ^
ftark calm morning, a fog rofe fo thick, that though
we were not half a league from the fliore we loft fight
of it ; and rowing we knew not whither or which
way, we laboured all day, and all the next night,
and when the morning came we found we had pulled
oflF. to fea inftead of pulling in for the fhore ; and
that we were at leaft two leagues from the ihorc:
however we got well in again, though with a great
deal of labour, and fome danger ; for the wind began
to blow pretty frefh in the morning j but particularly
Ve were all very hungry.

But our patron, warn'd by this difafter, refolved to
take more care of hirafelf for the future ; and having
lying by him the long boat of our Englijh fhip he had
taken, he refolved he would not go a fifhing any
more without a compafs and fome provifion ; fo he
ordered the carpenter of his fhip, who alfo was an
Englijh flave, to biiild a little ftate-room or cabin in
the middle of the long-boat, like that of a barge, with
a place to ftand behind it to fteer and hale home the
main-fheet ; and room before for a hand or two to
fland and work the fails ; fhe failed with that we call
51 fhoulder of mutton fail ; and the boom gibed over
the top of the cabin, which lay very fhug and low,

C 4 and

24 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

and had in it room for him to lye, with a flave or
two, and a table to eat on, with fome fmall lockers
to put in fome bottles of fuch liquor as he thought fit
to drink ; particularly his bread, rice and coffee*

We went frequently out with this boat a fifhing,
and as I was mofl dexterous to catch fifti for him,
he never went without me : It happened that he had
appointed to go out in this boat, either for pleafure
or for fifh, with two or three Nfoors of fome diftinc-
tion in that place, and for whom he had provided
extraordinarily ; and had therefore fent on board the
boat over night a larger ftore of provifions than ordi-
nary ; and had ordered me to get readyv three fuzees
with powder and and Ihot, which were on board his
Ihip ; for that they defigned fome fport of fowling, a«
well as fiftiing.

I got all things ready as he had directed, and
waited the next morning with the boat waflied clean,
her ancient and pendants out, and every thing to ac-
commodate his guefts J when by and by my patron
came on board alone, and told me his guefts had
put off going, upon fome bufinefs that fell out, and
ordered me with the man and boy, as ufual, to go
out with the boat and catch them fome fifh, for that
his friends were to fup at his houfe ; and commanded
that as foon as I got fome fifh I fhould bring it home
to his houfe ; all which I prepared to do.

This moment my former notions of deliverance
darted into my thoughts, for now I found I was like
to have a little fhip at my command ; and my mafter
being gone, I prepared to fiirnifh myfelf, not for fifh-
ing bufinefs, but for a voyage ; though I knew not,

neither

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 25

neither did I fo much as confider, whither I fliould
fteer ; for any where to get out of that place was
my way.

My firft contrivance was to make a pretence to
fpeak to this Moor^ to get fomething for our fubfift-
ance on board ; for I told him we muft not prefume
to eat of our patron's bread ; he faid, that was true ;
fo he brought a large bafket of rulk or bifkct of their
kind, and three jarrs with frefh water into the boat.
I knew where my patron's cafe of bottles flood, which
it was evident by the make were taken out of fome
Englijh prize ; and I conveyed them into the boat
while the Moor was on fhore, as if they had been
there before for our mafter : I conveyed alfo a great
lump of bees-wax into the boat, which weighed above
half a hundred weight, with a parcel of twine or
thread, a hatchet, a faw, and a hammer, all which
were, of great ufe to us afterwards ; efpecially jthe wax
to make candles. Another trick I tryed upon him,
which he innocently came into alfo ; his name was
Ifmaelj who they call Muly^ or Moley ; fo I called to
him, Moley J faid I, our patron's guns are on board
the boat, can you not get a little powder and fhot, it
may be we may kill fome Alcamies (a fowl like our
Curlieus) for ourfelves, for I know he keeps the gun-
ner's (lores in the ihip ? Yes, fays he, I'll bring fome,
and accordingly he brought a great leather pouch
which held about a pound and a half of powder, or
rather more ; and another with Ihot, that had five or
fix pounds, with fome bullets, and put all into the
boat : at the feme time I had found fome powder of
jny mailer's in the great cabin, with which I filled

one

26 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

one of the large bottles in the cafe, which was almoft
empty ; pouring what was in it into another : and
thus furniflied with every thing needful, we failed out
of the port to fifli : the caftle which is at the entrance
of the port knew who we were, and took no notice
of us ; and we were not above a mile out of the port
before we haled in our fail, and fet us down to filh :
the wind blew from the N. N. E. which was contrary
to my defire ; for had it blown foutherly I had been
fure to have made the coaft of Spain, and at lead
reached to the bay of Cadiz ; but my refolutions were,
blow which way it would, I would be gone from that
horrid place where I was, and leave the reft to fate.

After we had fifhed fome time and catched nothing,
for when I had fifh on my hook I would not pull
them up, that he might not fee them ; I faid to the
Moor, this will not do, our mafter will not be thus
ferved, we muft ftand farther of: he thinking no
harm agreed, and being in the head of the boat fet
the fails ; and as I had the helm I run the boat out
near a league farther, and then brought her to as if
I would fifli, when giving the boy the helm, I ftept
forward to where the Moor was, and making as if I
ftoopt for Ibmething behind him, I took him by fur-
prize with my arm under his twift, and toft him clear
over-board into the fea ; he rofe immediately, for he
fwam like a cork, and calling to me, begged to be
taken in, told me he would go all over the world with
me ; he fwam fo ftrong after the boat that he would
have reached me very quickly, there being but little
wind ; upon which I ftept into the cabin, and fetch-^
ing one of the fowling pieces, I prefented it at him,

and

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 2/

and told him, I had done him no hurt, and if he
would be quiet I would do him none : but faid I, you
fwim well enough to reach to the fliore, and the fea is
calm, make the bed of your way to fliore, and I will
do you no harm, but if you come near the boat FU
fhoot you through the head ; for I am refolved to
have my liberty: fo he turned himfelf about and
fwam for the fliore, and I make no doubt but he
reached it with eafe, for he was an excellent
fwimmer,

I could have been content to have taken this Moor
with me, and have drowned the boy, but there was
no venturing to trufl: him: when he was gone
I turned to the boy, who they called Xury^
and faid to him, Xiiry^ if you will be faithful to
me ril make you a great man, but if you will
not ftroke your face to be true to me, that is,
fwear by Mahomet and his father's beard, I mufl:
throw you into the fea too ; the boy fmiled in my
face, and fpoke fo innocently that I could not mif-
trufl him ; and fwore to be faithful to me, and go all
over the world with me.

While I was in view of the Moor that was fwim-
ming, I flood out diredly to fea with the boat, rather
ftretching to windward, that they might think me
gone towards the Straits mouth (as indeed any one
that had been in their wits mufl: have been fuppofed
to do) for who would have fuppofed we were failed
on to the fouthward to the truly Barbarian coaft,
where whole nations of negroes were fure to fur-
round us with their canoes, and deftroy us ; where
we could nev^r once go on fliore but we fliould be

devoured

2H LIFE AND ADVENTURES

devoured by favage beafts, or more mercilefs favages
of human kind.

But as foon as it grew dufk in the evening, I
changed my courfe, and fleered direftly fouth and
by eaft, bending my courfe a little toward the eaft,
that I might keep in with the fhore ; and having a
fair frefh gale of wind, and a fmooth quiet fea, I
made fuch fail that I believe by the next day at three
o'clock in the afternoon, when I firft made the land,
I could not be lefs than 1 50 miles fouth of Sa/Iee ;
quite beyond the emperor of Moroccans dominions, or
indeed of any other king thereabouts, for we faw no
people.

Yet fuch was the fright I had taken at the Moors-^
and the dreadful apprehenfions I had of falling into
their hands, that I would not flop, or go on fhore, or
come to an anchor ; the wind continuing fair, till I
had failed in that manner five days : and then the
wind fhifting to the fouthward, I concluded alfo that
if any of our vefTels were in chafe of me, they alfo
would now give over ; fo I ventured to make to the
coafl, and come to an anchor in the mouth of a little
river, I knew not what, or where j neither what lati-
tude, what country, what nation, or what river : I
neither faw, or defired to fee any people, the prin-
cipal thing I wanted was frefh water. We came in-
to this creek in the evening, refolving to fwim on
fhore as foon as it was dark, and difcover the country ;
but as foon as it was quite dark, we heard fuch
dreadful noifes of the barking, roaring, and howling
of wild creatures of we knew not what kinds, that the
poor boy was ready to die with fear, and begged of
me not to go on fhore till dayj well Xury^ faid I,

then

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. t^

then I won't, but it may be we may fee men by day,
who will be as bad to us as thofe lions ; then we give
ihem the Jhoot gurij fays Xury, laughing, make them
run wey ; fuch pngli/h Xury fpoke by converfing
among us flayes. However I was glad to fee the boy
fo chearful, and I gave him a dram (out of our pa-
tron's cafe of bottles) to chear him up: after all, Xury^s
advice was good, and I took it, we dropped our
little anchor and lay ftill all night ; I fay ftill, for we
flept none ; for in two or three hours we faw vaft
great creatures (we knew not what to call them)
of many forts, come down to the fea-lhore and run
into the water, wallowing and wafliing themfelves
for the pleafure of cooling themfelves; and they
made fuch hideous bowlings and yellings, that I
never indeed heard the like.

Xury was dreadfully frighted, and indeed fo was
I too ; but we were both more frighted when we
heard one of thefe mighty creatures come fwimming
towards our boat ; we could not fee him, but we
might hear him by his blowing to be a monftrous
huge and furious bead : Xury faid it was a lion, and
^it might be fo for ought I know ; but poor Xury cried
to me to weigh the anchor and row away ; no, fays I,
Xury, we can flip our cable with a buoy to it and
go off to fea, they cannot follow us far ; I had no
fooner faid fo, but I perceived the creature (whatever
it was) within two oars length, which fomething fur-
prized me; however I immediately flept to the cabin-
door, and taking up my gun fired at him, upon
which he immediately turned about, and fwam
towards the Ihore again.

But

30 I.IFE AND ADVENTURES

But It is impoffible to defcribe the horrible noifeS,
and hideous cries and bowlings, that were raifed,
as well upon the edge of the fhore, as higher within
the country, upon the noife or report of the gun, a
thing I have fome reafon to believe thofe creatures
had never heard before; this convinced me that
there was no going on fliore for us in the night upon
that coaft, and how to venture on fhore in the day
was another queftion too ; for to have fallen into the
hands of any of the favages, had been as bad as to
have fallen into the hands of lions and tygers ; at
leaft we were equally apprehenfive of the danger of it.

Be that as it would, we were obliged to go on
fliore fomewhere or other for water, for we had not
a pint left in the boat ; when or where to get to it
was the point : Xury faid, if I would let him go on
fliore with one of the jarrs, he would find if there
was any water and bring fome to me. I alked him
why he would go ? why I fhould not go and he ftay
in the boat ? the boy anfwered with fo much afFedion
that made me love him ever after. Says he, if wild
mans come^ they eat me^ you go wey. Well, Xuryj
faid I, we will both go, and if the wild mans come,
we will kill them, theyfliall eat neither of us ; fol
gave Xury a piece of rulk-bread to eat, and a dram
out of our patron's cafe of bottles which I mentioned
before ; and we haled the boat in as near the fliore
as we thought was proper, and waded on fliore ; car-
rying nothing but our arms, and two jarrs for water.

I did not care to go out of fight of the boat, fear-
ing the coming of canoes with Savages down the
river : but the boy feeing a low place about a mile

up

It. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. . 31

tip the country, rambled to it; and by and by I faw
him come running towards me. I thought he was
purfued by fome favage, or frighted with fome wild
beaft, and I run forward towards him to help him,
but when I came nearer to him, I faw fomething
hanging over his Ihoulders, which was a creature that
he had fhot, like a hare, but different in colour, and
longer legs ; however we were very glad of it, and it
was very good meat ; but the great joy that poor
Xury came with, was to tell me he had found good
water, and feen no wild mans.

But we found afterwards that we need not take fuch
pains for water; for a little higher up the creek where
we were, we found the water frefh when the tide was
out, which flows but a little way up ; fo we filled our
jarrs and feafled on the hare we had killed, and pre-
pared to go on our way, having feen no foot-fleps of
any human creature in that part of the country.

As I had been one voyage to this coafl before, I
knew very well that the iflands of the Canaries^ and
the Cape de Verd iflands alfo, lay not far off from the
coafl. But as I had no inflruments to take an ob-
fervation to know what latitude we were in, and not
exadtly knowing, or at leafl remembering, what lati-
tude they were in, I knew not where to look for them,
or when to ftand off to fea towards them ; otherwife I
might now eafily have found fome of thefe iflands.
But my hope was, that if I flood along this coafl till
I came to that part where the Englijh traced, I fhould
find fome of their veffels upon their ufual defign of
trade, that would relieve and take us in.

By the befl: of my calculation, that place where
I now was, mufl: be that country, which lying be-
tween

3^ LIFJC AND ADVENTURES

tween the emperor of Moroccans dominions and the
Negroes, lies wafte, and uninhabited, except by wild
beafts ; the Negroes having abandoned it, and gone
farther fouth for fear of the Moors ; and the Moors
not thinking it worth inhabiting, by reafon of its
barrennefs ; and indeed both forfaking it becaufe, of
the prodigious number of tygers, lions, leopards,
and other furious creatures which harbour there j
fo that the Moors ufe it for their hunting only, where
they go like an army, two or three thoufand men at
a time ; and indeed for near an hundred miles to-
gether upon this coaft, we faw nothing but a wafte
uninhabited country by day ; and heard nothing but
howlings and roaring of wild bead by night.

Once or twice in the day time I thought I faw
the Pico of Teneriffe, being the high top of the
mountain Teneriffe in the Canaries ; and had a great
mind to venture out in hopes of reaching thither j
but having tried twice, I was forced in again by con-
trary winds, the fea alfo going too high for my little
veflel, fo I refolved to purfue my firft defign and.
keep along the (hore.

Several times I was obliged to land for frefh water,
after we had left this place ; and once in particular,
being early in the mornirig, we came to an anchor
under a little point of land which was pretty high,
and the tide beginning to flow, we lay ftill to go
farther in ; Xury, whofe eyes were more about him
than it feems mine were, calls foftly to me, and tells
me that we had beft go farther off the fliore ; for,
fays he, look yonder lies a dreadful monfter on the
fide of that hillock faft afleep : I looked where he
pointed, and faw a dreadful monfter indeed, for it

was

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE^ 33

was a terrible great lion that lay on the fide of the
ihore, under the fhade of a piece of the hill that hung
as it were a little over him. Xury^ fays I, you fhall
go on fhore and kill him : Xury looked frighted, and
faid, Me kill! he eat me at one mouth ; one mouthful
he meant. However, I faid no more to the boy, but
bade him lie ftill ; and took ouf biggeft gun, which
Was almoft mufquet-bore, and loaded it with a good
charge of powder, and with two flugs, and laid it
down y then I loaded another gun with two bullets ;
and the third, for we had three pieces, I loaded with
five fmaller bullets. I took the bell aim I could
with the firft piece, to have Ihot him into the head,
but he lay fo with his leg raifed a little above his
nofe, that the flugs hit his leg about the knee, and
broke the bone. He ftarted up growling at firft, but
finding his leg broke fell down again, and then got
up upon three legs, and gave the moft hideous roar
that ever I heard. I was a little furprifed that 1 had
not hit bim on the head ; however, I took up the
fecond piece immediately, and, though he began to
move off, fired again, and Ihot him into the head,
and had the pleafure to fee him drop, and make but
little noife, but lay ftruggling for life. Then Xtiry
took heart, and would have me let him go on fliore :
Well, go, faid I ; fo the boy jumped into the water,
and taking a little gun in one hand, fwam to fliore
with the other hand, and coming clofe to the crea-
ture, put the muzzle of. the piece to his ear, and
fliot him into the head again, which difpatched him
quite.

This was game indeed to us, but this was no food ;
and I was very forry to lofe three charges of powder

Vol. I. D and

34 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

and (hot upon a creature that was good for nothing to
us. However, Xury faid he would have fome of him ;
fo he comes on board, and alked me to give him the
hatchet. For what ^ Xury? faid I. Me cut off his headj
faid he. However, Xury could not cut off his head,
but he cut' off a foot, and brought it with him, and
it was a monftrous great one.

I bethought myfelf however, that perhaps the Ikin
of him might one way or other be of fome value to
us ; and I refolved to take off his Ikin, if I could. So
Xury and I went to work with him ; but Xury was
much the better workman at it, for I knew very ill
how to do it. Indeed it took us up both the whole^
day; but at laft we got off the hide of him, and
fpreading it on the top of our cabin, the fun effectu-
ally dried it in two days time, and it afterwards fer-
ved me to lie upon.

After this flop, we made on to the fouthward
continually for ten or twelve days, living very fpa-
ring on our provifions, which began to abate very
much, and going no oftener into the fliore than we
were obliged to for frefli water; my defign in this
was, to make the river Gambia or Senegal^ that is to
fay, any where about the Cape de Verd^ ,where I was
in hopes to meet with fome European {hip ; and if I
did not, I knew not what courfe I had to take, but
to feek for the I/lands^ or perifh there among the
Negroes. I knew that all the fhips from Europe,
which failed either to the coaft of Guinea or to Braftl,
or to the Eajl Indies, made.this Cape, or thofe IJlands; >
and, in a word, I put the whole of my fortune upon
this fingle point, either that I muft meet with fome
fhip, or mull perifh.

When

,^?^:^i[S5?.?^:,

OF ROBINSON CRUSOEJ 35

When I had purfued this refolution about ten days
longer, as I have faid, I began to fee that the land
vras inhabited; and in two or three places, as we
failed by, we faw people ftand upon the fhore to look
at us ; we could alfo perceive they were quite black,
and ftark naked. I was once inclined to have gone
on fliore to them ; but Xury was my better counfellor,
and faid to me, No go^ no go ; however I hauled in
nearer the fliore that I might talk to them, and I
found they run along the fliore by me a good way ;
I obferved they had no weapons in their hands, ex-
cept one, who had a long flender fl:ick, which Xury
faid was a lance, and that they would throw them a
great way with good aim ; fo I kept at a diftance,
but talked with them by figns as well as I could ; and
particularly made figns for fomething to eat ; they
beckoned to me to fl:op my boat, and they would
fetch me fome meat ; upon this I lowered the top of
my fail, and lay by, and two of them ran up into the
country, and in lefs than half an hour came back,
and brought with them two pieces of dry flefli and
fome corn, fuch as is the produce of their country ;
but we neither knew what the one nor the other was ;
however, we were willing to accept it, but how to
come at it was our next difpute, for I was not for
venturing on fliore to them, and they were as much
afraid of us ; but they took a fafe way for us all, for
they brought it to the fliore and laid it down, and
went and fl:ood a great way off till we fetched it on
board, and then came clofe to us again.

We made figns of thanks to them, for we had
nothing to make them amends ; but an opportunity
offered that very inftant to oblige them wonderfully;

D 2 for

36 JLIFE AND ADVENT CIKES

for while we where lying by the Ihore, came tw<y
mighty creatures, one purfuing the other (as we'
took it) with great fury, from the mountains to-
wards the fea : whether it was the male purfuing the
female, or whether they were in fport or in rage, we
could not tell, any more than we could tell whether
it was ufual or ftrange, but I believe it was the latter j
becaufe, in the firft place, thofe ravenous creatures
feldom appear but in the night ; and in the fecond
place, we found the people terribly frighted, efpe-
daily the women^. The man that had the lance or
dart did not fly from them^ but the reft did j how-
ever, as the two creatures ran direftly into the water^
they did not feem to offer to fall upon any of the
Negroes^ but plunged themfelves into the fea, and
fwam about as if they had come for their diverfion*
At laft one of them began to come nearer our boat
than at firft I expected, but I lay ready for him, for
I had loaded my gun wrth all pofTible expedition,
and bade Xury load both the others. As foon as he
came fairly within my reach, I fired, and (hot him
direftly into the head 5. immediately he funk down
into the water, but rofe inftantly and plunged up and
down as if he was ftruggling for life f and fo indeed
he was : he immediately made to the fliorey but be-
tween the wound, which was his mortal hurt, and
the ftrangling of the water, he died juft before he
reached the*lhore.

It is impoffible to exprefs the aftonifliment of
thefe poor creatures; at the noife and the fire of my
gun ; fome of them were even ready to die for fear 3^
and fell down as dead with the very terror. But
when they faw the creature dead^ and funk in the

water^

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 37

water, and that I made figns to them to come to the
fliore, they took heart and came to the fliore, and
began to fearch for the creature. I found him by
his blood ftaining the water ; and by the help of a
rope, which I flung round him, and gave the Negroes
to haul, they dragged him on fhore, and found that
it was a moft curious leopard, fpotted and fine to
an admirable degree, and the Negroes held up their
hands with admiration to think what it was I had
killed him v/ith.

The other creature, frighted with the flafli of fire
and the noife of the gun, fwam on (horc, and ran up
direftly to the mountains from whence they came»
nor could I at that diftance know what it was. I
found quickly the Negroes were for eating the flefh
of this creature, fo I was willing to have them take
it as a favour from me, which when I made figns
to them that they might take him, they were very
thankful for ; immediately they fell to work with
him, and though they had no knife, yejt with a
fharpened piece of wood they took off his (Idn as
readily, and much more readily, than we could have
done with a knife; they offered, me fome of the flefh,
which I declined, making as if I would give it them,
but made figns for the fkin, which they gave me
very freely, and brought me a great deal more of
their provifion, which though I did not underfland,
yet I accepted ; then I made figns to them for fome
water, and held out one of my jars to them, turn-
ing it bottom upward, to fhew that it was empty,
and that I wanted to have it filled. They called
immediately to fome of their friends, and there came
two women, and brought a great vefTel made of

D 3 earth.

38 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

earth, and burnt, as I fuppofe, in the fun 5 this they
fet down for me, as before, and I fent Xury on Ihore
•with myjarrs, and filled them all three. The women
were as ftark naked as the men.

I was now furniflied with roots and corn, fuch as
\t was, and water \ and, leaving piy friendly Negroes^
I made forward for about eleven days more, w^ithout
pfFejring to go near the fhore, till I faw the land ryn
out a great length into the fea, at about the diftance
of four or five leagues before me ; and, the fea being
very calm, I kept a large offing to make this point ;
at length, doubling the point at about two leagues
from the land, I faw plainly land on the other fide
to feaward j then I concluded, as it was moft certain
indeed, that this %as the Cape de Verd, and thofe
the i/Ia?idsj called from thence Cape de Verd IJlands.
However, they were at a great dift:ance, and I could
not well tell what I had bed to do, for if I fhould
be taken with a frefli of wind I might neither reach
one nor the other.

. In this dilemma, as I was very penfive, I ftept into
the cabin and fet me down, Xury having the helm ;
when on a fudden the boy cried out, Majier^ majler^
a jhip with a fail ! and the fooiifh boy was frighted
out of his wits, thinking it mufl: ne^ds be fome of
his mafter's fhips fent to purfue us, when I knew
\^e were gotten far enough out of their reach. I
jumped out of the cabin, and immediately faw not
only the fhip, but what flie was, (1^/2.) that it was a
Portuguefe fhip, and, as I thought, was bound to the
coafl of Guinea for Negroes. But when I obferved
the courfe fhe fleered, I was foon convinced they
were bound fome other way, and did not defign to

come

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 39

come any nearer to the fliore ; upon which I ftretched
out to fea as much as I could, refolving to fpeak with
them if poflible*

With all the fail I could make, I found I fhould
not be able to come in their way, but that they would
be gone by before I could make any fignal to them.
But after I had crowded to the utmoft, and began to
defpair ; they, it feems, faw me by the help of their
perfpeftive-glaffes, and that it was fome European
boat, which, as they fuppofed, muft belong to fome
fhip that was loft ; fo they fhortened fail to let me
come up. I was encouraged with this, and as I had
my patron's ancient on board, I made a waft of it
to them for a fignal of diftrefs, and fired a gun,
both which they faw ; for they 01d me they faw the
fmoke, though they did not hear the gun. Upon
thefe fignals they very kindly brought-to, and lay-
by for nje, and in about three hours time I came
up with them.

They afked me what I was, in Portugtiefe^ and in
Spanijh^ and in French ; but I underftood none of
them ; but at laft a Scots failor, who was on board,
called to me, and I anfwered him, and told him I
was an Englijhman^ that I had made my efcape out
of flavery from the Moors at Sallee. Then they bade
me come on board, and very kindly took me in,
and all my goods.

It was an inexpreflible joy to me, that any one would
believe that I was thus delivered, as I efteemed it,
from fuch a miferable and almoft hopelefs condition
as I was in, and immediately offered all I had to the
captain of the Ihip, as a return for my deliverance ;
but he generoufly tpld me, he would take nothing

P 4 from

40 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

from me, but that all I had fhould be delivered fafc
to me when I came to the Brqfils ; for^ fays he, /
have faved your life on no other terms than I would be
glad to be faved niyfelf; and it may one time or other be
my lot to be taken up in the fame condition: beftdes^ faid
he, when I carry you to the Brafils, fo great a way
from your own country^ if I fhould take from you what
you h'ave^ you will be flarved there ^ and then I only
take away that life I have given. No^ no. Seignior
Jnglefe, fays he, Mr. Englifhman, / will carry you
thither in charity^ and thofe things will help you to buy
your fubfiflence there ^ and your paffage home again.

As he was charitable in his propofal, fo he was
juft in the performance to a tittle, for he ordered the
feamen, that noneThould offer to touch any thing I
had J then he took every thing into his own poflef-
fion, and gave me back an exa£t inventory of them,
that I might have them ; even fo much as my three
earthen jarrs*

As to my boat, it was a very good one, and that he
faw, and told me he would buy it of me for the fliip's
ufe, and afked me what I would have for it ? I told
him, he had been fo generous to me in every thing,
that I could not offer to make any price of the boat,
but left it entirely to him ; upon which he told me he
\vould give me a note of his hand to pay me 80 pieces
of eight for it at Braftl ; and v/hen it came there, if
any one offered to give more, he would make it up ;
he offered me alfo 60 pieces of eight more for my
boy Xury^ which I was loath to take ; not that I was
not willing to let the captain have him, but I was
very loath to fell the poor boy's liberty, who had
aflilled me fo faithfully in procuring my own. How-
ever,

\

OF ROBINSON CRJJSOE* 4 1

ever, when I let him know my reafon, he owned it to
-be juft, and offered me this medium, that he would
give the boy an obligation to fet him free in ten years,
if he turned chriftian. Upon this, and Xury faying he
was willing to go to him, I let the captain have him.

We had a very good voyage to the Brajils^ and
arrived in the Bay de Todos los Samos^ or AlUSaints^
Bay^ in about twenty-two days after. And now I
was once more delivered from the moll miferable of
all conditions of life, and what to do next with my-
felf I was now to confider.

The generous treatment the captain gave me, I can
never enough remember : he would take nothing of
me for my paffage, gave me twenty ducats for the
leopard's flcin, and forty for the'^wi's Ikin, which I
had in my boat, and caufed every thing I had in the
fliip to be pundually delivered me ; and what I was
willing to fell he bought, fuch as the cafe of bottles,
two of my guns, and a piece of the lump of bees-wax,
for I had made candles of the reft ; in a word, I made
about 220 pieces of eight of all my cargo, and with
this ftock I went on Ihore in the Braftls.

I had not been long here, but being recommended
to the houfe of a good honeft man like himfelf, who
had an Ingenio as they call it ; that is, a plantation
and a fugar-houfe, I lived with him fome time, and
acquainted myfelf by that means with the manner
of their planting and making of fugar ; and feeing
how well the planters lived, and how they grew
rich fuddenly, I refolved, if I could get licenfe to
fettle there, I would turn planter among them, re-
folving in the mean time to find out fome way to
|get my money, which I had left in London^ re-
mitted

42 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

mitted to me. To this purpofe, getting a kind of a
letter of naturalization, I purchafed as much land
that was uncured as my money would reach, and
formed a plan for my plantation and fettlement^ and
fuch a one as might be fuitable to the ftock which I
propofed to myfelf to receive from England.

I had a neighbour, a Portuguefe of Lifbon^ but
born of Englijh parents, whofe name was Wells, and
in much fuch circumftances as I was. I call him
neighbour, becaufe his plantation lay next to mine,
and we went on very fociable together. My ftock
was but low, as well as his : and we rather planted
for food, than any thing elfe, for about two years.
However, we be|^ to increafe, and our land began
to come into ord" fo that the third year we planted
1 fome tobacco, and made each of us a large piece of
ground ready for planting canes in the year to come :
but we both wanted help ; and now I found, more
than before, I had done wrong in parting with my
boy Xury.

But alas! for me to do wrong, that never did
right, was no great wonder : I had no remedy but
to go on ; I was gotten into an employment quite re-
mote to my genius, and diredly contrary to the life
I delighted in, and for which I forfook my father's
houfe, and broke through all his good advice ; nay,
I was coming into the very middle ftation, or upper
degree of low life, which my father advifed me to
before ; and which if I refolved to go on with, I
might as well have ftaid at home, and never have
fatigued myfelf in the world as I had done; and I
ufed often to fay to myfelf, I could have done this as
well in England among my friends, as have gone

500Q

I.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 43

5000 miles off to do it, among ftrangers and favages
in a wildernefs, and at fuch diftance, as never to hear
from any part of the world that had the lead know-
ledge of me.

In this manner I ufed to look upon my condition
with the utmoft regret. I had nobody to converfe
with, but now and then this neighbour j no work
to be done, but by the labour of my hands ; and I
ufed to fay, I lived juft like a man caft away upon
fome defolate ifland, that had nobody there but
himfelf. But how juft has it been, and how fhould
all men refleQ:, that, when they compare their pre-
fent conditions with others that are worfe. Heaven
may oblige them to make the exchange, and be
convinced of their former felicJ(l|^, by their experi-
ence : I fay, how juft has it been, that the truly foli-
tary life I refleded on in an ifland of mere defolation
Ihould be my lot, who had fo often unjuftly compared
it with the life which I then led, in which, had I con-
tinned, I had in all probability been exceeding prof-
perous and rich.

J was in fome degree fettled in my meafures for
carrying on the plantation, before my kind friend
the captain of the fliip, that took me up at fea, went
back ; for the ftiip remained there, in providing his
loading, and preparing for his voyage, near three
pionths ; when, telling him what little ftock I had
left behind me in London^ he gave me this friendly
and fmcere advice : Seignor Inglefe, fays he, for fo he
always called me, if you will give me letters, and a,
procuration here in form to me, with orders to the
perfon who has your money in London^ to fend your
effefts to Lijbonj to fuch perfons as I fhall dired, and

in

44 ^If^ AND ADVENTURE^

in fuch goods as are proper for this country, I will
bring you the produce of them, God willing, at my
return; but fince human affairs are all fubjefl: to
changes and difafters, I would have you give orders
but for one hundred pounds y?^r//;7^, which you fay is
half your flock, and let the hazard be run for the
firft ; fo that if it come fafe, you may .order the reft
the fame way ; and if it mifcarry, you may have the
other half to have recourfe to for your fupply.

This was fo wholefome advice, and looked fo
friendly, that I could not but be convinced it was the
beft courfe I could take ; fo I accordingly prepared
letters to the gentlewoman with whom I had left my
money, and a procuration to the Portuguefe captain,
as he defired. ^

I wrote the Englijh captain's widow a full account
of all my adventures, my ilavery, efcape, and how
I had met with the Portugal Captain at fea, the huma-
nity of his behaviour, and what condition I was
now in, with all other neceflary direftions for my
fupply ; and when this honeft captain came to Lijbon^
he found means, by fome of the Englijh merchants
there, to fend over, not the order only, but a full
account of my ftory, to a merchant at London^ who
reprefented it effeftually to her ; whereupon, fhe not
only delivered the money, but out of her own pocket
fent the Portugal captain a very handfome prefent for
his humanity and charity to me.

The merchant in London vefting this hundred
pounds in Englijh goods, fuch as the captain had
writ for, fent them direftly to him at Lijbon^ and he
brought them all fafe to me to the Brafils ; among
which, without my direftion (for I was too young

in

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 45

in my bufinefs to think of them), he had taken care
to have all forts of tools, iron-work, and utenfils
neceffary for my plantation, and which were of great
ufe to me.

When this cargo arrived I thought my fortune
made, for I was furprifed with joy of it ; and my
good fteward the captain had laid out the five pounds
which my friend had fent him for a prefent for him-
felf, to purchafe, and bring me over a fervant under
bond for fix years fervice, and would not accept of
any confideration, except a little tobacco, which I
would have him accept, being of my own produce.

Neither was this all ; but my goods being all
Englijh manufaftures, fuch as cloth, ftuflfs, baize,
and things particularly valuable and defirable in the
country, I found means to fell them to a very great
advantage, fo that I may fay, I had more than four
times the value of my firft cargo, and was now infi-
nitely beyond my poor neighbour, I mean in the
advancement of my plantation ; for the firft thing I
did, I bought me a Negro flave, and an Eurcpean
fervant alfo ; I mean another befides that which the
captain brought me from Lijbon.

But as abufed profperity is oftentimes made the
very means of our greateft adverfity, fo was it with
me. I went on the next year with great fuccefs in my
plantation : I raifed fifty great rolls of tobacco on
my own ground, more than I had difpofed of for ne-
ceffaries among my neighbours ; and thefe fifty
rolls, being each of above loo wt. were well cured
and laid by againft the return of the fleet from Lijbon.
And now, increafing in bufinefs and in wealth, my
head began to be full of projeds and undertakings

beyond

46 1.IFE AND ADVENTURES

beyond my reach ; fuch as are indeed often the ruin
of the beft heads in this bufinefs.

Had I continued in the ftation I was now in, I had
room for all the happy things to have yet befallen
me, for which my father fo earneftly recommended a
quiet retired life, arid of which he had fo fenfibly
defcribed the middle ftation of life to be full ; but
other things attended me, and I was ftill to be the
wilful agent of all my own miferies ; and particularly
to increafe my fault, and double the refleftions upon
myfelf, which in my future forrows I fliould have
leifure to make. All thefe mifcarriages were procured
by my apparent obftinate adhering to my foolifh in-
clination of wandering abroad, and purfuing that
inclination, in contradiftion to the cleareft views of
doing myfelf good in a fair and plain purfuit of thofe
profpefts and thofe meafures of life, which nature
and Providence concurred to prefent me with, and to
make my duty.

As I had done thus in my breaking away from my
parents, fo I could not be content now, but I m'uft
go and leave the happy view I had of being a rich
and thriving man in my new plantation, only to purfue
a rafh and immoderate defire of rifing fafter than the
nature of the thing admitted ; and thus I caft myfelf
down again into the deepeft gulph of human mifery
that ever man fell into, or perhaps could be confif-
tent with life and a ftate of health in the world.

To come then by the juft degrees to the particulars
of this part of my ftory ; you may fuppofe, that hav-
ing now lived almoft four years in the Brafih^ and
beginning to thrive and profper very well upon my
plantation, I had not only learned the language, but

had

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 47

had contraded acquaintance and friendfhip among
my fellow-planters, as well as among the merchants
at St» SalvadorCj which was our port ; and that in
my difcourfe among them, I had frequently given
them an account of my two voyages to the coaft of
Guinea^ the manner of trading with the Negroes there,
and how eafy it was to purchafe upon the coaft, for
trifles, fuch as beads, toys, knives, fciflars, hatchets,
bits of glafs, and the like, not only gold duft,
Guinea grains, elephants teeth^ ^c. but Negroes for
the fervice of the Brajilsy in great numbers.

They hftened always very attentively to my dif-
courfes on thefe heads, but efpecially to that part
which related to the buying Negroes^ which was a
trade at that time not only not far entered into,
but as far as it was, had been carried on by the
Affienio%^ or permiffion of the kings of Spain and
Portugal^ and engrofled in the public, fo that few
Negroes were bought, and thofe exceflive dear.

It happened, being in company with fome mer-
chants and planters of my acquaintance, and talking
of thofe things very earneftly, three of them came to
me the next morning, and told me they had been
mufing very much upon what I had difcourfed with
them of the laft night, and they came to make a
fecret propofal to me ; and after enjoining me fecrecy,
they told me, that they had a mind to fit out a (hip
to go to Guinea ; that they had all plantations as well
as I, and were ftraitened for nothing fo much as fer-
vants ; that as it was a trade could not be carried on,
becaufe they could not publickly fell the Negroes when
they came home ; fo they defired to make but one
voyage, to bring the Negroes on Ihore privately, and

divide

48 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

divide them among their own plantations ; and in a
word, the queftion was, whether I would go their
fuper cargo in the Ihip, to manage the trading part
upon the coaft of Guinea ? and they offered me that
I fhould have my equal fhafe of the Negroes^ without
providing any part of the ftock.

This was a fair propofal, it muft be confeffed, had
it been made to any one that had not had a fettle-
ment and plantation of his own to look after, which
was in a fair way of coming to be very confiderable,
and with a good ftock upon it. But for me, that was
thus entered and eftabliflied, and had nothing to do
but go on as I begun, for three or four years more,
and to have fent for the other hundred pounds from
England^ and who in that time, and with that little
addition, could fcarce have failed of being worth
three or four thoufand pounds fterling, and that en-
creafing too ; for me to think of fuch a voyage, was
the moft prepofterous thing that ever man in fuch
circumftances could be guilty of.

But I, that was born to be my own deftroyer, could
no more refift the offer, than I could reftrain my firft
rambling defigns, when my father's good counfel
was loft upon me. In a word, I told them I would
go with all my heart, if they would undertake to look
after my plantation in my abfence, and would dif-
pofe of it to fuch as I fhould direft if I mifcarried.
This they all engaged to do, and entered into writ-
ings or covenants to do fo ; and I made a formal will,
difpofing of my plantation and effefts, in cafe of my
death, making the captain of the fhip that had faved
my life as before, my univerfal heir, but obliging
him to difpofe of my effeds as I had direfted in my

will.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 49

'will, one half of the produce being to himfelf, and
the other to be fhipped to England.

In fliort, I took all poflible caution to preferve my
eflfeds, and keep up my plantation ; had I ufed half
as much prudence to have looked into my own
intereft, and have made a judgment of what I ought
to have done, and not to have done, I had certainly
never gone away from fo profperous an undertaking,
leaving all the probable views of a thriving circum-
ftance, and gone upon a voyage to fea, attended
with all its common hazards ; to fay nothing of the
reafons I had to expeO: particular misfortunes to
myfelf.

But I was hurried on, and obeyed blindly the
diftates of my fancy rather than my reafon : and
accordingly the {hip being fitted out, and the cargo
furniihed, and all things done as by agreement by
my partners in the voyage, I went on board in an evil
hour, the firft of September ^ being the fame day
eight years that I went from my father and mother at
Hull^ in order to aO: the rebel to their authority, and
the fool to my own intereft.

Our fhip was about 120 ton burthen, carried 6
guns, and 14 men, befides the mafter, his boy and
myfeir; we had on board no large cargo of goods,
except of fuch toys as were fit for our trade with the
negroes, fuch as beads, bits of glafs, fliells, and odd
trifles, efpecially little looking-glafTes, knives,
fciflfars, hachets, and the like.

The fame day I went on board we fet fail.
Handing away to the northward upon our own coaft,
with defign to ftretch over for the African coaft,
when they came about i o or 12 degrees of northern

Vol. I. E latitude.

50 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

latitude, which it feems was the manner of their
courfe in thofe days. We had very good weather,
only exceffive hot, all the way upon our own coaft,
till we came the height of Cape St. Augujiino ; from
"W^hence keeping farther off at fea we loft fight of
land, and fteered as if we were bound for the ifle
Fernand de Noronha^ holding our courfe N. E. by N.
and leaving thofe ifles on the eaft. In this courfe we
pafTed the line in about 1 2 days time, and were by
our laft obfervation in 7 degrees 22 min. northern
latitude, when a violent tournado or hurricane took
us quite out of our knowledge : it began from the
fouth-eaft, came about to the north-wefi, and then
fettled into the north-eaft, from whence it blew in
fuch a terrible manner, that for 1 2 days together
we could do nothing but drive ; and fcudding away
before it, let it carry us whither ever fate and the
fury of the winds direfted ; and during thefe 1 2
days, I need not fay that I expefted every day to
be fwallowed up, nor indeed did any in the fhip
expeft to fave their lives.

In this diftrefs, we had, befides the terror of the
ftorm, one of cur men died of the calenture, and
one man and the boy waflied over-bqard. ^bout the
1 2th day, the weather abating a little, the mafter
made an obfervation as well as he could, and found
that he was in about 1 1 degrees north latitude, but
that he was 22 degrees of longitude difference weft
from Cape St. Augujiino ; fo that he found he was
gotten upon the coaft of Guinea^ or the north part of
Braftl^ beyond the river Amozo?iesj toward that of
the river Oronoque, commonly called the Great River^
and began to confult with me what courfe he fhould

take.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. gX

take, for the fliip was leaky and very . much
difabled, and he was going diredtly back to the
coaft of BraJiL

I was pofitively againfl that ; and looking over the
charts of the fea-coafts of America with him, we
concluded there was no inhabited country for us to
have recourfe to, till we came within the circle of the
Caribbee-ijlands^ and therefore refolved to ftand
away for Barbodoes^ which by keeping oflF at fea, to
avoid the indraft of the bay or gulph of Mexico^ we
might eafily perform, as we hoped, in about fifteen
days fail ; whereas we could not pofTibly make our
voyage to the coaft of Africa without fome affiftance,
both to our fhip and to ourfelves.

With this defign we changed our courfe, and
fteered away N. W. by W. in order to reach fome of
our Englijh iflands, where I hoped for relief; but
our voyage was otherwife determined ; for being in
the latitude of 1 2 deg. 1 8 min. a fecond ftorm came
upon us, which carried us away with the fame
impetuolity weft ward, and drove us fo out of the
very way of all human commerce, that had all our
lives been faved, as to the fea, we were rather in
danger of being devoured by favages than ever
returning to our country.

In this diftrefs, the wind ftill blowing very hard,
one of our men early in the morning cried out.
Land! and we had no fooner run out of the cabin
to look out in hopes of feeing whereabouts in the
world we were, but the fliip ftruck upon a fand,
and in a moment, her motion being fo ftopped, the fea
broke over her in fuch a manner, that we expeded
%ve Ihould all have periftied immediately ; and we
E 2 were

52. LIFE AND ADVENTURES

were immediately driven into our clofe quarters,
to flielter us from the very foam and fprye of
the fea.

It is not eafy for any one, who has not been in
the like condition, to defcribe or conceive the
confternation of men in fuch circumftances ; we
knew nothing where we were, or upon what land it
was we were driven, whether an ifland or the main,
whether inhabited or not inhabited ; and as the
rage of the wind was ftill great, though rather lefs
than at firft, we could not fo much as hope to have
the fhip hold many minutes without breaking in
pieces, unlefs the winds by a kind of miracle ftiould
turn immediately about. In a word, we fat looking
one upon another, and expefting death every moment,
and ervey man ading accordingly as preparing for
another world, for there was little or nothing more
for us to do in this : that which was our prefent
comfort, and all the comfort we had, was, that
contrary to our expeftation the fhip did not break
yet, and that the mafter faid the wind began to
abate.

Now though we found that the wind did a little
abate, yet the fhip having thus ftruck upon the fand,
and flicking too fafl for us to expefl: her getting off,
we were in a dreadful condition indeed, and had
nothing to do but to think of faving our lives as well
as we could. We had a boat at our ftern, jufl before
the florm, but fhe was firfl flaved by dafhing againfl
the fhip's rudder, and in the next place fhe broke
away, and either funk or was driven ^ff to fea, fo
there was no hope from her ; we had another boat
on board, but how to get her off into the fea was a

doubtful

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 53

doubtful thing : however, there was no room to
debate, for we fancied the fhip would break in pieces
every minute, and fome told us fhe was aftually
broken already.

In this diftrefs, the mate of our veffel lays hold of
the boat, and with the help of the reft of the men,
they got her flung over the fhip's fide, and getting
all into her, let go, and committed ourfelves, being
eleven in number, to God's mercy, and the wild
fea ; for though the ftorm was abated confiderably,
yet the fea went dreadful high upon the fliore, and
might well be called, den wild zee^ as the Dutch call
the fea in a ftorm.

And now our cafe was very difmal indeed j for
we all faw plainly, that the fea went fo high, that
the boat could not live, and that we fliould be
inevitably drowned. As to making fail, we had
none, nor, if we had, could we have done any thing
with it ; fo we worked at the oar towards the land,
though with heavy hearts, like men going to
execution ; for we all knew, that when the boat
came nearer the ftiore, ixio. would be daflied in a
thoufand pieces by the breach of the fea. However,
we committed our fouls to God in the moft earneft
manner, and the wind driving us towards the fliorey
we haftened our deftrudion with our own hands,
pulling as well as we could towards land.

What the fliore was, whether rock or fand,
whether fteep or flioal, we knew not; the only
hope that could rationally give us the leaft fliadow
of expedation, was, if we might happen into fome
bay or gulph, or the mouth of fome river where
by great chance we might have run our boat in, or

E 3 got

54. ^IF^ AND ADVENTURES

got under the lee of the land, and perhaps made
fmooth water. But there was nothing of this
appeared; but as we made nearer and nearer the
fliore, the land looked more frightful than the fea.

After we had rowed, or rather driven about a
league and a half, as we reckoned it, a raging wave,
mountain-like, came rolling a-ftern of us, and
plainly bade us exped the coup-de-grace. In a word,
it took us with fuch a fury, that it overfet the boat
at once ; and feperatipg us, as well from the boat
as from one another, gave us not time hardly to
fay, O God ! for we were all fwallowed up in a
moment.

Nothing can defcribe the confufion of thought
which I felt when I funk into the water ; for though
I fwam very well, yet I could not deliver myfelf from
the waves fo as to draw breath, till that wave having
driven me, or rather carried me a vaft way on towards
the fhore, and having fpent itfelf, went back, and
left me upon the land almoft dry, but half dead with
the water I took in. I had fo much prefence of mind
as well as breath left, that feeing myfelf nearer the
main land than I expefted, I got upon my feet, and
endeavoured to make on towards the land as fall as
I could, before another wave fhould return and take
me up again. But I foon found it was impofiible
to avoid it ; for I faw the fea come after me as high
as a great hill, and as furious as an enemy which I
had no means or ftrength to contend with ; my
bufmefs was to hold my breath, and rife myfelf upon
the water, if I could : and fo by fwimming to
preferve my breathing, and pilot myfelf towards the
fliore, if poffible; my greateft concern now being

that

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ^^

that the fea, as it would carry me a great way
towards the fliore when it came on, might not
carry me back again with it when it gave back
towards the fea.

The wave that came upon me again, buried me .
at once 20 or 30 foot deep*in its own body ; and I
could feel myfelf carried with a mighty force and
fwiftnefs towards the fhore, a very great way ; but
I held my breath, and aflifted myfelf to fwim ftill
forward with all my might. I was ready to burft
with holding my breath, when, as I felt myfelf
rifmg up, fo, to my immediate relief, I found my
head and hands ftioot out above the furfece of the
water ; and though it was not two feconds of time
that I could keep myfelf fo, yet it relieved me
greatly, gave me breath and new courage. I was
covered again with water a good while, but not fo
long but I held it out ; and finding the water had
fpent itfelf, and began to return, I ftruck forward
againft the return of the waves, and felt ground
again with my feet. I Hood ftill a few moments to
recover breath, and till the water went from me,
and then took to my heels, and run with what
ftrength I had farther towards the fliore. But
neither would this deliver me from the fury of the
fea, which came pouring in after me again, and
twice more I was lifted up by the waves and carried
forwards as before, the fliore being very flat.

The laft time of thefe two had well near been
fatal to me ; for the fea having hurried me along as
before, landed me, or rather daflied me againft a
piece of a rock, and that with fuch force, as it
left me fenfelefs, and indeed helplefs, as to my own

E 4 deliverance;

56 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

deliverance ; for the blow taking my fide and breaft,
beat the breath as it were quite out of my body ;
and haditnot returned again immediately, I muft have
been fl;rangled in the water : but I recovered a little
before the return of the waves, and feeing! fhould be
covered again with the water, I refolved to hold faft
by a piece of the rock, and fo to hold my breath, if
poffible, till the wave went back. Now as the waves
were not fo high as at firft, being near land, I held
my hold till the wave abated, and then fetched
another run, which brought me fo near the fhore,
that the next wave, though it went over me, yet did
not fo fwallow me up as to carry me away ; and the
next run I took I got to the main land, where,
to my great comfort, I clambered up the clifts
of the fhore, and fat me down upon the grafs, free
from danger, and quite out of the reach of the water.
I was now landed, and fafe on fliore^. and began
to look up and thank God that my life was faved in
a cafe wherein there v\^as fome minutes before fcarce
any room to hope. I believe it is impoflible to
exprcfs to the life what the extafies and tranfports of
the foul are, when it is fo faved, as I may fay, out
of the very grav6; and I do not wonder now at
that cuftom, viz. that when a malefaftor, who
has the halter about his neck, is tied up, and juft
going to be turned oft', and has a reprieve brought
to him : I fay, I do not wonder that they bring a
furgeon with it, to let him blood that very mo-
ment they tell him of it, that the furprize may not
drive the animal fpirits from the heart, and over-
whelm him :

For fudden joys ^ like griefs^ confound at Jirji.

I walked

,://v>.w„.:.y./

.y/,//./ ///.//,»///-

7^///^./;/ /;//^,,vr /» Z/'A/ .lA-././.^/.-.y^v,/-//'//) .

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ^y

I walked about on the fnore, lifting up my hands
and my whole being, as I may fay, wrapt up in the
contemplation of my deliverance, making a thoufand
geftures and motions which I cannot defcribe,
refleding upon all my comrades that were drowned,
and that there fliould not be one foul faved but
myfelf J for, as for them, I never f2tw them after-
wards, or any fign of them, except three of their
hats, one cap, and two fhoes that were not fellows.

I caft my eyes to the ftranded veffel, when the
breach and froth of the fea being fo big, I could
hardly fee it, it lay fo far off, and confidered. Lord !
how was it poffiblel could get on fhore!

After I had folaced my mind with the comfortable
part of my condition, I began to look round me, to
fee what kind of place I was in, and what was next
to be done ; and I foon "found my comforts abate,
and that, in a word, I had a dreadful deliverance :
for I was wet, had no clothes to fhift me, nor any
thing either to eat or drink to comfort me ; neither
did I fee any profpefl: before me, but that of perifhing
with hunger, or being devoured by wild beafts ; and
that which was particularly afflifting to me, was,
that I had no weapon either to hunt and kill any
creature for my fuftenance, or to defend myfelf
againft any other creature that might defire to kill
me for theirs : in a word, I had nothing about me
but a knife, a tobacco-pipe, and a little tobacco in
a box y this was all my provifion, and this threw
me into terrible agonies of mind, that for a
while I run about like a mad-man ; night coming
upon me, I began with a heavy heart to confider
what would be my lot if there were any ravenous

beafts

58 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

beafts in that country, feeing at night they always
come abroad for their prey.

All the remedy that offered to my thoughts at that
time, was, to get up into a thick bufhy tree like a
fir, but thorny, which grew near me, and where
I refolved to fit all night, and confider the next day
what death I fhould die, for as yet I faw no profpeft
of life. I walked about a furlong from the fliore, to
fee if I could find any frefh water to drink, which I
did, to my great joy ; and having drank, and put a
little tobacco in my mouth to prevent hunger, I went
to the tree, and getting up into it, endeavoured to
place myfelf fo, as that if I fhould fleep I might not
fall ; and having cut me a fhort flick, like a
truncheon, for my defence, I took up my lodging,
and having been exceflively fatigued, I fell fafl afleep,
and flept as comfortably as, I believe, few could
have done in my condition, and found myfelf the
moft refrefhed with it that I think I ever was on fuch
an occafion.

When I waked it was broad day, the weather
clear, and the florm abated, fo that the fea did not
rage and fwell as before : but that which furprized
me mofl, was, that the fhip was lifted off in the
liight from the fand where fhe lay, by the fwelling of
the tide, and was driven up almofl as far as the rock
which I firfl mentioned, where I had been fo bruifed
by the dafhing me againft it ; this being within about
a mile from the fhore where I was, and the fhip
feeming to ftand upright flill, I wifhed myfelfon
board, that, at leafl, I might fave fome. neceffary
things for my ufe.

When I came down from my apartment in the
tree, I looked about me again, and the firft thing I

found

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 59

found was the boat, which lay as the wind and the fea
had tofled her, up upon the land, about two miles on
my right hand : I walked as far as I could upon the
(hore to have got to her, but found a neck or inlet of
water between me and the boat, which was about
half a mile broad ; fo I came back for the prefent,
being more intent upon getting at the fliip,
where I hoped to find fomething for my prefent
fubfiftence.

A. little after noon I found the fea very calm, and
the tide ebbed fo far out, that I could come within a
quarter of a mile of the ftiip ; and here I found a frelh
renewing of my grief; for I faw evidently, that if we
had kept on board, we had been all fafe, that is to
fay, we had all got fafe on fliore, and I had not been
fo miferable as to be left entirely deftitute of all com-
fort and company, as I now was : this forced tears
from my eyes again, but as there was little relief in
that, I refolved, if pofTible, to get to the fhip ; fo I
pulled off my clothes, for the weather was hot to
extremity, and took the water ; but when I came to
the fhip, my difficulty was flill greater to know how
to get on board, for as fhe lay a-ground, and high
out of the v/ater, there was nothing within my reach
to lay hold of. I fwam round her twice, and the
fecond time I fpied a fmall piece of a rope, which
I wondered I did not fee at firft, hang down by the
fore-chains fo low as that with great difficulty I got
hold of it, and by the help of that rope got up into
the forecaftle of the fhip : here I found that the fhip
was bulged, and had a great deal of water in her hold,
but that fhe lay fo on the fide of a bank of hard fand,
or rather earth, and her flern lay lifted up upon the

bank.

6o LIFE AND ADVENTURES

bank, and her head low almoft to the water; by
this means all her quarter was free, and all that was
in that part was dry ; for you may be fure my firft
work was to fearch and to fee what was fpoiled
and what was free : and firft I found that all the
ihip's provifions were dry, and untouched by the
water; and being very well difpofed to eat, I
went to the bread-room and filled my pockets with
bifcuit, and eat it as I went about other things, for I
had no time to lofe. I alfo found fome rum in the
great cabin, of which I took a large dram, and
which I had indeed need enough of to fpirit me for
what was before me : Now I wanted nothing but a
boat to furnifli myfelf with many things which I fore*
faw would be very neceflary to me.

It was in vain to fit ftill and wifh for what was not
to be had, and this extremity roufed my application .
We had feveral fpare yards, and two or three large
fparrs of wood, and a fpare top-maft or two in the
fhip ; I refolved to fall to work with thefe, and flung
as many of them over-board as I could manage of their
weight, tying every one with a rope that they might
not drive away ; when this was done I went down
the fhip's fide, and pulling them to me, I tied four
of them faft together at both ends, as well as I could,
in the form of a raft, and laying two or three Ihort
pieces of plank upon them crofs-ways, I found I could
walk upon it very well, but that it was not able to
bear any great weight, the pieces being too light ;
fo I .went to work, and with the carpenter's faw I
cut a fpare top-maft into three lengths, and added
them to my raft, with a great deal of labour and
pains : but hope of furniftiing myfelf with neceflaries,

encouraged

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 6l

encouraged me to go beyond what I fhould have been
able to have done upon another occafion.

My r^ift was now ftrong enough to bear any rea-
fonable weight ; my next care was what to load it
with, and how to preferve what I laid upon it from
the furf of the fea ; but I was not long confidering
this ; I firft laid all the planks or boards upon it that
I could get, and having confidered well what I moll
wanted, I firft got three of the feamen's chefts, which
I had broken open and emptied, and lowered them
down upon my raft ; the firft of thefe I filled with
provifions, viz. bread, rice, three Dutch . cheefes,
five pieces of dried goat's flefh, which we lived much
upon, and a little remainder of European corn which
had been laid by for fome fowls which we brought
to fea with us, but the fowls were killed ; there had
been fome barley and wheat together, but, to my
great difappointment, I found afterwards that the
rats had eaten or fpoiled it all; as for liquors, I
found feveral cafes of bottles belonging to our fkipper,
in which were fome cordial waters, and in all above
five or fix gallons of rack ; thefe I ftowed by them-
felves, there being no need to put them into the cheft,
nor no room for them. While I was doing this, I
found the tide began to flow, though very calm; and I
had the mortification to fee my coat, fhirt, and waift-
coat, which I had left on fhore upon the fand, fwim
away ; as for my breeches, which were only linen,
and open-knee'd, I fwam on board in them and my
ftockings : however, this put me upon rummaging
f6r clothes, of which I found enough, but took no
more than I wanted for prefent ufe, for I had other
things which my eye was more upon ; as firft, tools to

work

62 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

work with on fhore ; and it was after long fearching
that I found out the carpenter's cheft, which was
indeed a very ufeful prize to me, and much more
valuable than a Ihip-loading of gold would have been
at that time : I got it down to my raft, even whole
as it was, without lofing time to look into it, for I
knew in general what it contained.

My next care was for fome ammunition and arms :
there were two very good fowling-pieces in the -great
cabin, and two piftols ; thefe I fecured firft, with
. fome powder-horns, and a fmall bag of fliot, and two
old rufty fwords : I knew there were three barrels of
powder in the fhip, but knew not where our gunner
had flowed them; but with much fearch I found
them, two of them dry and good, the third had taken
water : thofe two I got to my raft, with the arms ;
and now I thought myfelf pretty well freighted, and
began to think how I fhould get to ihore with them,
having neither fail, oar, or rudder, and the leaft
cap-full of wind would have oyerfet all my navi-
gation.

I had three encouragements : i. A fmooth, calm
fea : 2. The tide rifmg and fetting into the fliore :
3. What little wind there was, blew me towards the
land : and thus, having found two or three broken
oars belonging to the boat, and befides the tools
which were in the cheft, I found two faws, an axe
and a hammer, and with this cargo I put to fea :
for a mile, or thereabouts, my raft went very well,
only that I found it drive a little diftant from the
place where I had landed before, by which I per-
ceived that there was fome indraft of the water, and
confequently I hoped to find fome creek or river

there.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 6;^

there, which I might make ufe of as a port to get to
land with my cargo.

As I imagined, fo it was ; there appeared before
me a little opening of the land, and I found a ftrong
current of the tide fet into it, fo I guided my raft as
well as I could to keep in the middle of the ftream :
but here I had like to have fuffered a fecond fhip-
wreck, which, if I had, I think verily would have
broke my heart ; for knowing nothing of the coaft,
my raft run a-ground at one end of it upon a fhoal,
and not being a-ground at the other end, it wanted
but a little that all my cargo had flipped off towards
that end that was a-float, and fo fallen into the
water : I did my utmoft, by fetting my back againfl:
the chefts, to keep them in their places, but could
not thruft off the raft with all my ftrength, neither
durft I ftir from the pofture I was in ; but holding up
the chefts with all my might, flood in that manner
near half an hour, in which time the rifmg of the
water brought me a little more upon a level ; and a
little after, the water ftill rifmg, my raft floated
again, and I thruft her off with the oar I had, into
the channel ; and then driving up higher, I at length
found myfelf in the mouth of a little river, with
land on both fides, and a ftrong current or tide run-
ning up : I looked on both fides for a proper place
to get to fliore, for I was not willing to be driven
too high up the river, hoping in time to fee fome
fliip at fea, and therefore refolved to place myfelf as
near the coaft as I could.

At length I fpied a little cove on the right fliore of
the creek, to which, with great pain and difficulty, I
guided my raft, and at laft got fo near, as that,

reaching

64 i.IFE AND ADVENTURES

reaching ground with my oar, I could thruft h^

direftly in ; but here I,had like to have dipped all my

cargo in the fea again ; for that ifhore lying pretty

fteep, that is to fay floping, there was no place to

land, but where one end of the float, if it run on

fhore, would lie fo high, ^nd the other fink lower as

before, . that it would endanger my cargo again : all

that I could do, was to wait till the tide was at the

highefl, keeping the raft with my oar like an anchor

to hold the fide of it faft to the fhore, near a flat piece

of ground, which I expected the water would flow

over ; and fo it did. As foon as I found water enough

(for my raft drew about a foot of wat6r), I thrufl: her

on upon that flat piece of ground, and there fafl:ened

or moored her by flicking my two broken oars into

the ground ; one on one fide near one end, and one

on the other fide near the other end j and thus I lay

till the water ebbed away, and left my raft and 1ali

my cargo fafe on IJiore.

My next work was to view the country, and feek a
proper plSce for my habitation, and where to flow my
goods, to fecure them from whatever might happen ;
where I was I yet knew not ; whether on the continent
or on an ifland, whether inhabited or not inhabited,
whether in danger of wild beafts or not : there was a
hill not above a mile from me, which rofe up very fteep
and high, and which feemed to over-top fome other
hills which lay as in a ridge from it northward; I'took
out one of the fowling pieces, and one of the piftols,
and an horn of powder, and thus armed I travelled
for difcoveryuptothetop of that hill, where, after I had
with great labour and diflSculty got to the top, I faw
my fates to my gr^^at afl9iidion, viz. that I was in an

ifland

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 6$

ifland environed every way with the fea, no land to
be feen, except fome rocks which lay a great way
off, and two fmall iflands lefs than this, which lay
about three leagues to the weft.

I found alfo that the ifland I was in was barren,
and, as I faw good reafon to believe, uninhabited,
except by wild beafts, of whom however I faw none j
yet I faw abundance of fowls, but knew not their
kinds, neither when I killed them could I tell what
was fit for food, and what not. At my coming back,
I fliot at a great bird, which I faw fitting upon a tree
on the fide of a great wood ; I believe it was the firft
gun that had been fired there fince the creation of the
world : I had no fooner fired, but from all the parts of-
the wood there arofe an innumerable number of fowls
of many forts, making a confufed fcreaming, and
crying every one according to his ufual note-; bufc
not one of them of any land that I knew : as for the
creature I killed, I took it to be a kind of hawk, its
colour and beak refembling it, but had no talons or
claws more than common j its flefli was carrion, and
fit for nothing.

Contented with this difcovery, I came back to my
raft, and fell to work to bring my cargo on fliore,
which took me up the reft of that day; and what to
do with myfelf at night I knew* not, nor indeed where
to reft ; for I was afraid to lie down on the ground,
not knowing but fome wild beaft might devour me,
though, as I afterwards found, there was really no
need for thofe fears.

However, as well as I could, I barricadoed myfelf
round with the chefts and boards that I had brought
on fhore, and made a kind of a hut for that night's

Vol. I. F lodging*

65 LIFE AND ADVENTURIlS

lodging ; as for food, I yet faw not which way to
fupply myfelf, except that I had feen two or three
creatures, like hares, run out of the wood where I fhot
the fowl.

I now began to confider, that I might yet get a
great many things out of the (hip, which would be
ufeful to me, and particularly fome of the rigging
and fails, and fuch other things as might come to
land, and I rcfolved to make another voyage on
board the veffel, if poffible ; and as I knew that the
firft ftorm that blew muft neceffarily break her all in
pieces, I refolved to fet all other things apart, 'till I
got every thing out of the fliip that I could get ; then
I called a council, that is to fay, in my thoughts,
whether I fhould take back the raft j but this appeared
imprafticable ; fo I refolved to go as before, when
the tide was down, and I did fo, only that I ftripped
before I went from my hut, having nothing on but
a chequered fhirt, and a pair of linen trowfers, and
a pairof pumps on my feet.

I got on board the fhip, as before, and prepared a
fecond raft j and having had experience of the firft, I
neither made this fo unweildy, nor loaded it fo hard ;
but yet I brought away feveral things very ufeful to
me ; as firft, in the carpenter's ftores, I found two or
three bags full of nails and fpikes, a great fcrew-jack,
a dozen or two of hatchets, and above all, that moft
ufeful thing called a grihdftone ; all thefe I fecured,
together with feveral things belonging to the gun-
ner, particularly two or three iron crows, and two
barrels of mufquet-buUets, feven mufquets, and
another fowling-piece, with fome fmall quantity of
powder more j a large bag full of fmall fhot, and a

great

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 6/

great roll of flieet lead : but this laft was fo heavy, I
could not hoift it up to get it over the fhip*s fide.

Befides thefe things, I took all the men*8 clothes
that I could find, and a fpare fore-top-fail, hammock,
and fome bedding ; and vdth this I loaded my fecond
raft, and brought them all fafe on fhore, to my very
great comfort.

I was under fome apprehenfions during my abfence
from the land, 'that at leafl: my provifions might be
devoured on fhore ; but when I came back, I found
no fign of any vifitor, only there fat a creature like a
wild cat upon one of the chefts, which when I came
towards it, ran away a little diftance, and then flood
ftill : fhe fat very compofed, and unconcerned, and
looked full in my face, as if fhe had a mind to be
acquainted with me ; I prefented my gun at her, but
as fhe did not undcrftand it, fhe was perfo£tly
unconcerned at it, -nor did fhe offer to flir away ;
upon which I toffed her a bit of bifcuit, though by the
way I was not very free of it, for my flore was not
great : however, I fpared her a bit, I fay, and fhe
went to it, fmelled at it, ate it, and looked, as
pkafed, for more ; but I thanked her, and could
fpare no more ; fo fhe marched off.

Having got my fecond cargo on fliore, though I
was fain to open the barrels of powder, and bring
them by parcels, (for they were too heavy, being
large calks,) I went to work to make me a little tent
with the fail and fome poles which I cut for that
purpofe ; and into this tent I brought every thing that
I knew would fpoil, either with rain or fun, and
i piled all the empty chefls and cafks up in a circle

F 2 round

68 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

round the tent, to fortify it from any fudden attempt,
either from man or beaft.

When I had done this I blocked up the door of
the tent with fome boards within, and an empty
cheft fet up an-end without ; and fpreading one of
the beds upon the ground, laying my two piftols
juft at my head, and my gun at length by me, I went
to bed for the firft time, and flept very quietly all
night, for I was very weary and heavy ; for the night
before I had flept little, and had laboured very hard
all day, as well to fetch all thofe things from the fliip,
a^ to get them on fliore.

I had the biggeft magazine of all kinds now, that
ever were laid up, I believe, for one man 5 but I was
not fatisfied flill ; for while the fliip fat upright in
that pofture, I thought I ought to get every thing out
of her that I could : fo every day at low water I went
on board, and brought away fomething or other;
but particularly the third time I went, I brought
away as much of the rigging as I could, as alfo all
the fmall ropes and rope twine I could get, with a
piece of fpare canvafs, which was to mend the fails
upon occafion, and the barrel of wet gun-powder: in
a word, I brought away all the fails firft and laft, only
that I was fain to cut them in pieces, and bring as
much at a time as I could } for they were no more
ufeful to be fails, but as mere canvafs only.

But that which comforted me more ftill, was, that,
laft of all, after I had made five or fix fuch voyages
as thefe, and thought I had nothing more to exped
from the fhip that was worth my meddling with ; I fay,
after all this, I found a great hogfhead of bread, and

three

/*<■;/ /y y/.Mltrt/

I ...,r.t,:/ /j\ U^a.*H^

''/'u^/yl'ii /W-.^/^tic iy/^JknSt^c^4/ai«,7i4:ca^l(}- .

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE# 6g

three large runlets of rum or fpirits, and a box of
fugar and a barrel of fine flour : this was furprifing
to me, becaufe I had given over expefting any more
provifions, except what was fpoiled by the water : I
foon emptied the hogfhead of that bread, and wrapt
it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces of the fails, which
I cut out : and, in a word, I got all this fafe on fhore
alfo.

The. next day I made another voyage ; and now,
having plundered the fhip of what was portable and
fit to hand out, I began with the cables ; and cutting
the great cable into pieces, fuch as 1 could move, I
got two cables and a hawfer on fhore, with all the
iron-work I could get; and hawng cut down the
fpritfail-yard, and the mizen-yard, and every thing I
could to make a large raft, I loaded it with all thofe
heavy goods, and came away : but my good luck
began now to leave me ; for this raft was fo unweildy
and fo overladen, that after I was entered the little
cave, where I had landed the reft of my goods, not
being able to guide it fo handily as I did the other, it
overfet, and threw me and all my cargo into the
water. As for myfelf it was no great harm, for I was
near the fhore ; but as to my cargo, it was great part
of it loft, efpecially the iron, which I expefted would
have been of great ufe to me : however, when the
tide was out I got moft of the pieces of cable afhore ;
and fome of the iron, though with infinite labour ; .
for I was fain to dip for it into the water, a work
which fatigued me very much. After this, I went
every day on board, and brought away what I
could get.

F 3 I had

70 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

I had been now 1 3 days on fhore, and had been
1 1 times on board the fhip ; in which time I had
brought away all that one pair of hands could well be
fuppofed capable to bring ; though I believe verily,
had the calm weather held, I fhould have brought
away the whole fhip, piece by piece : but preparing
the 1 2th time to go on board, I found the wind
began to rife ; however at low water I went on board,
and though I thought I had rummaged the cabin fo
effeftually, as that nothing more could be found,
yet I difcovered a locker with drawers in it, in one
of which I found two or three razors, and one pair of
large fciffars, with fome ten or a dozen of good knives
and forks ; in another I found about thirty-fix pounds
value in money, fome European coin, fome Braftl^
fome pieces of eight, fome gold, fome filver.

I fmiled to myfelf at the fight of this money. O
Drug ! faid I, aloud, what art thou good for ? thou
art not worth to me, no not the taking off of the
ground : one of thofe knives is worth all this heap : I
have no manner of ufe for thee, even remain where
thou art and go to the bottom, as a creature whofe
life is not worth favmg. However, upon fecond
thoughts, I took it away, and wrapping all this in a
piece of canvas, 1 began to think of making another
raft ; but while I was preparing this, I found the Iky
over-caft, and the wind began to rife, and in a
quarter of an hour it blew a frefh gale from the fhore.
It prefently occurred to me, that it was in vain to pre-
tend to make a raft with the wind off fhore, and that
it was my bufinefs to be gone before the tide of flood
began, otherwife I might not be able to reach the

fliore

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. Jt

fhore at all : accordingly I let myfelf down into the
water, and fwam crofs the channel, which lay
between the fliip and the fands, and even that with
difficulty enough, partly with the weight of things I
had about me^ and partly the roughnefs of the water;
for the wind rofe very haftily, and before it was quite
high water it blew a ftorm.

But I was gotten home to my little tent, where I
lay with all my wealth about me very fecure. It blew
very hard all that night ; and in the morning when I
looked out, behold no more fhip was to be feen : I was
a little furprifed, but recovered myfelf with this
fatisfaftory refleftion, 'viz. That I had loft no time*
nor abated any diligence to get every thing out of her
that could be ufeful to me ; and that indeed there was
little left in her that I was able to bring away, if I
had had more time,

I now gave over any more thoughts of the fhip,
or of any thing out of her, except what might drive
on fliore from her wreck, as indeed divers pieces of
her afterwards did ; but thofe things were of fmall
ufe to me.

My thoughts were now wholly employed about
fecuring myfelf againft either favages) if any fhould
appear) or wild beafts, if any were in the ifland ; and
I had many thoughts of the method how to do this,
and what kind of dwelling to make j whether I Ihould
make me a cave in the earth, or a tent upon the
earth : and, in fhort, I refolved upon both, of the
manner and defcription of which it may not be im-
proper to give an account,

I foon found the place I was in was not for my
fettlement, particularly becaufe it was upon a low

F 4 mooriffi

^2 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

moorifli ground near the fea, and I believed would
not be wholefome, and more particularly becaufe
there was no frefh water near it ; fo I refolved to find
a more healthy and more convenient fpot of ground.

I coflfulted feveral things in my fituation which I
found would be proper for me: ift. Health, and
frefh water, I juft now mentioned, 2dly, Shelter
from the heat of the fun. 3dly, Security from rave*
nous creatures, whether man or beaft. 4thly, A view
to the fea ; that if God fent any fliip in fight, I might
not lofe any advantage for my deliverance, of which
I was not willing to banifh all my expectation yet.

In fearch of a place proper for this, I found a little
plain on the fide of a rifing hill, whofe front towards
this little plain was fteep as a houfe-fide, fo that
nothing could come down upon me from the top ; on
the fide of this rock there was a hollow place, worn a
little way in, like the entrance or door of a cave ; but
there was not really any cave or way into the rock
at all. •

On the flat of the green, juft before this hollow
place, I refolved to pitch my tent : this plain was not
above an hundred yards broad, and about twice as
long, and lay like a green before my door, and at
the end of it'defcended irregularly every way down
into the low grounds by the fea-fide. It was on the'
N.N. W. fide of the hill, fo that I was fheltered from
the heat every day, till it came to a W. and by S. fun, ''
or thereabouts, which in thofe countries is near the
fetting.

Before I fet up my tent, I drew a half circle
before the hollow place, which took in about ten
yards in its femi-diameter from the rock, and

twenty

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 73

twenty yards in its diameter, from its beginning and
ending.

In this half circle I pitched two rows of ftrong
flakes, driving them into the ground till they flood
very firm, like piles, the biggeft end being out of the
ground about five foot and a half, and fliarpened on
the top ; the two rows did not ftand above fix inches
from one another.

Then I took the pieces of cable which I had cut in
the fhip, and laid them in rows one upon another,
within the circle between thefe two rows of flakes, up
to the top, placing other flakes in the infide, leaning
againft them, about two foot and a half high, like a
fpur to a pofl ; and this fence was fo flrong, that
neither man or beafl could get into it or over it : this
cofl me a great deal of time and labour, efpecially to
cut the piles in the woods, bring them to the place,
and drive them into the earth.

The entrance into this place I made to be not by a t
door, but by a fliort ladder, to go over the top (
which ladder, when I was in, I lifted over after me ;
and fo I was compleatly fenced in, and fortified, as
I thought, from all the world, and confequently flept
fecure in the night, which otherwife I could not have
done ; though, as it appeared afterward, there was no
need of all this caution from the enemies that I appre-
hended danger from.

Into this fence or fortrefs, with infinite labour,
I carried all my riches, all my provifions, ammu-
nition and flores, of which you have the account
above ; and I made me a large tent, which, to prefer ve
me from the rains, that in one part of the year are
very violent there, I made double, viz. one fmaller

tent

74 J^IFE AND ADVENTURES

tent within, and one larger tent above it, and covered
the uppermoft with a large tarpaulin which I had
faved among the fails.

And now I lay no more for a while in the bed which
I had brought on fliore, but in a hammock, which
was indeed a very good one, and belonged to the
mate of the fhip.

Into this tent I brought all my provifions, and
every thing that would fpoil by the wet ; and having
thus enclofed all my goods, I made up the entrance,
which till now I had left open, and fo paffed and re-
pafled, as I faid, by a fhort ladder.

When I had done this, I began to work my way
into the rock ; and bringing all the earth and ftones
that I dug down, out through my tent, I laid them
up within my fence in the nature of a terrace, that fo
it raifed the ground within about a foot and a half:
and thus I made me a cave juft behind my tent,
which ferved me like a cellar to my houfe.

It coft me much labour, and many days, before
all thefe things were brought to perfeflion, and
therefore I muft go back to fome other things which
took up fome of my thoughts. At the fame time it
happened, after I had laidmy fcheme for the fetting up
my tent, and making the cave, that a florm of rain
falling from a thick dark cloud, a fuddcn flafh of
lightning happened, and after that a great clap of
thunder, as is naturally the efFea of it : I was not fo
much furprized with the lightning, as I was with a
a thought which darted into my mind as fvvift as the
lightning itfelf: O my powder! my very heart funk
within me, when I thought, that at one blaft all my
powder might be deftroyed: on which, not my

defence

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 75

defence only, but the providing me food, as I
thought, entirely depended ; I was nothing near fo
anxious about my own danger; though had the
powder took fire, I had never known who had
hurt me.

Such impreffion did this make upon me, that after
the ftorm was over, I laid afide all my works, my
building, and fortifying, and applied myfelf to make
bags and boxes to feparate the powder, and to keep
it a little and a little in a parcel, in hope, that what-
ever might come, it might not all take fire at once ;
and to keep it fo apart, that it fliould not be poffible
to make one part fire another. I finifhed this work
in about a fortnight ; and I think my powder, which in
all was about 240 pounds weight, was divided in not
lefs than a hundred parcels : as to the barrel that had
been wet, I did not apprehend any danger from that,
fo I placed it in my new cave, which in my fancy I
called my kitchen ; and the reft I hid up and
down in holes among the rocks, fo that no wet
might come to it, marking very carefully where I
laid it.

In the interval of time while this was doing, I
went out once at leaft every day with my gun, as
well to divert myfelf, as to fee if I could kill any
thing fit for food, and, as near as I could, to acquaint
myfelf with what the ifland produced. The firft
time I went out I prefently difcovered that there
were goats in the ifland, which was a great fatisfaftion
to me J but then it^was attended with this misfortune
to me, viz. that they were fo fhy, fo fubtle, and fo
fwift of foot, that it was the moft difficult thing in the
V^orld to come at them : but I was not difcouraged

at

y6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

at this, not doubting but I might now and then flioot
one, as it foon happened ; for after I had found their
haunts a little, I laid wait in this manner for them :
I obferved, if they faw me in the valleys, though they
were upon the rocks, they would run away as in a
terrible fright ; but if they were feeding in the
valleys, and I was upon the rocks, they took no
notice of me : from whence I concluded, that by the
pofition of their opticks, their fight was fo direded
downward, that they did not readily fee objefts that
were above them : fo afterward I took this method ;
I always climbed the rocks firft, to get above them,
and then had frequently a fair mark. The firft fhot
I made among thefe creatures, I killed a fhe-goat,
which had a little kid by her, which fhe gave fuck to,
which grieved me heartily ; but when the old one
fell, the kid ftood ftock ftill by her till I came and
took her up ; and not only fo, but when I carried
the old one with me upon my fhoulders, the kid
followed me quite to my enclofure, upon which I
laid down the dam, and took the kid in my arms, . :
and carried it over my pale, in hopes to have bred "i"
It up tame, but it would not eat, fo I was forced to .
kill it and eat it myfelf : thefe two fupplied me with
flefli a great while, for I eat fparingly ; and faved my
provifions (my bread efpecially) as much as poffibly
I could.

Having now fixed my habitation, I found it
abfolutely neceffary to provide a place to make a fire
in, and fewel to burn ; and what I did for that, as
alfo how I enlarged my cave, and what conveniencies
I made, I fhall give a full account of in its place :
but I Aauft firft give fome little account of myfelf, and

of

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. *JJ

of my thoughts about living, which it may well be
fuppofed were not a few.

I had a difmal profpeft of my condition ; for as
I was not caft away upon that ifland without being
driven, as is faid, by a violent ftoim quite out of the
courfe of our intended voyage, and a great way, 'oi%.
fome hundreds of leagues out of the ordinary courfe
of the trade of mankind, I had great reafon to
confider it as a determination of Heaven, that in this
defolate place, and in this defolate manner, I fliould
end my life. The tears would run plentifully down
my face when I made thefe reflexions, and fometimes
I would expoftulate with myfelf, why Providence
fhould thus compleatly ruin his creatures, and render
them fo abfolutely miferable, fo without help
abandoned, fo entirely deprefled, that it could
hardly be rational to be thankful for fuch a life.

But fomething always returned fwift upon me to
check thefe thoughts, and to reprove me; and
particularly one day, walking with my gun in my
hand by the fea-fide, I was very penfive upon the
fubjeO: of my prefent condition, when reafon as
it were expoflulating with me toother way, thus:
Well, you are in a defolate condition, 'tis true ; but
pray remember, where are the reft of you ? Did
not you come eleven of you into the boat ? Where
are the ten ? Why were they not faved and you loft ?
Why were you fmgled out ? Is it better to be here or
there ? and then I pointed to the fea. All evils are
to be confidered with the good that is in them, and
with what worfe attended them.

Then it occurred to me again, how well I was
furniihed for my fubfiftence, and what would have

been

78 I-IFE AND ADVENTURES

been my cafe if it had not happened, lahich was an
hundred thoufand to one^ that the fliip floated from
the place where (he firft ftruck, and was driven fo
near the fhore that I had time to get all thefe
things out of her : what would have been my cafe
if I had been to have lived in the condition in which
I at firft came on fhore, without neceflfaries of life
or neceflaries to fupply and procure them ? particularly
faid I, aloiid, (though to myfelf) what fhould I have
done without a gun, without ammunition, without
any tools to make any thing, or to work with ; without
clothes, bedding, a tent, or any manner of covering:
and that now I had all thefe to a fufiicient quantity,
and was in a fair way to provide myfelf in fuch a
manner, as to live without my gun when my
ammunition was fpent ; fo that I had a tolerable
view of fubfifting, without any want, as long as I
lived; for I confidered from the beginning how
I fhould provide for the accidents that might happen
and for the time that was to come, even not only
after my ammunition fhould be fpent, but even after
my health or ftrength fhould decay,

I confefs I had not entertained' any notion of my
ammunition being deftroyed at one blaft, I mean my
powder being blown up by lightning ; and this made
the thoughts of it fo furprifing to me when it
lightened and thundered, as I obferved juft now.

And now being about to enter into a melancholy
relation of a fcene of filent life, fuch perhaps as was
never heard of in the world before, I fhall take it from
its beginning, and continue it inits order. ItwaSjbymy
account, the 30th of September^ when, in the manner
as abovefaid, I firft fet foot upon this horrid ifland,
4 when

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 79

'Vrhen the fun being, to us, in its autumnal equinox,
was almoft juft over my head; for I reckoned myfelf,
by obfervation, to be in the latitude of 9 degrees 22
minutes north of the line.

After I had been there about ten or twelve days,
it came into my thoughts, that I Ihould lofe my
reckoning of time for want of books, and pen and
ink, and fhould even forget the fabbath days from
the working days ; but to prevent this, I cut it with
my knife upon a large poft in capital letters, and
making it into a great crofs, I fet it up on the fhore
where I firft landed, viz. I came on Jhore here on the
2,0th of Sept. 1659. Upon the fides of this fquare
poft, I cut every day a notch with my knife, and
every feventh notch was as long again as the reft,
and every firft day of the month as long again
as that long one; and thus I kept my calen-
dar, or weekly, monthly, and yearly reckoning of
time.

In the next place we are to obferve, that among
the many things which I brought out of the fhip in
the feveral voyages, which, as abovementioned, I
made to it, I got feveral things of lefs value, but
not all lefs ufeful to me, which I omitted fetting
down before ; as in particular, pens, ink, and paper ;
feveral parcels in the captain's, mate's, gunner's,
and carpenter's keeping ; three or four compaffes,
fome mathematical inftruments, dials, perfpeftives,
charts, and books of navigation, all which I huddled
together, whether I might want them or no : alfo
I found three very good bibles which came to me
in my cargo from England^ and which I had
packed up among my things ; fome Portugueze. books

alfo.

8o JLIFE AKD ADVENTURES

alfo, and among them two or three popifh prayer-
books, and feveral other books, all which I carefully
fetured. And I muft not forget, that we had in the
Ihip a dog and two cats, of whofe eminent hiftory
1 may have occafion to fay fomething in its place ;
for I carried both the cats with me; and as for the
dog, he jumped out of the fhip of himfelf, and fwam
on fhore to me the day after I went on fhore with
my firft cargo, and was a trufty fervant to me many
years; I wanted nothing that he could fetch me,
nor any company that he could make up to me;
I only wanted to have him talk to me, but that he
could not do. As I obfery^sd before,! found pen,
ink and paper, and I hufbarided them to the utmoft ;
and I fhall ihew, that while my ink lafted, I kept

] things very exaft ; but after that was gone, t could

not ; for I could not make any ink, by any means

,1 that I could devife.

il. And this put me in mind that I wanted many

things, notwithftanding all that I had amaffed

j together; and of thefe this of ink was one, as alfo

fpade, pick-axe and (hovel, to dig or remove the

,! earth ; needles, pins, and thread ; as for linen

I foon learned to want that without much diiEculty.

I This vyant of tools made every work I did go on

heavily, and it was near a whole year before I had
entirely finiftied my little pale or furrouhded
habitation: the piles or flakes, which were as
heavy as I could well lift, were a long time in cutting
and preparing in the woods, and more by far in
bringing home ; fo that I fpent fometimes two days
in cutting and bringing home one of thofe pofts,
and a third day in driving it into the ground ; for
I which

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 8 1

which purpofe I got a heavy piece of wood at firft,
but at laft bethought myfelf of one of the iron crows,
which however, though I found it, yet it made driv-
ing thofe pofts or piles very laborious and tedious work.

But what need I have been concerned at the
tedioufnefs of any thing I had to do, feeing I had
time enough to do it in, nor had I any other
employment if that had been over, at leaft, that I
could forefee, except the ranging the ifland to feek
for food, which I did more or lefs every day.

I now began to confider ferioufly my condition,
and the eircamftance I was reduced to, and I drew
up the ftate of my affairs in writing, not fo much
to leave them to any that were to come after me, for
I was like to have but few heirs, as to deliver my
thoughts froni daily poring upon them, and afflifting
niy mind; and as my reafon began now to mafter
my defpondency, I began to comfort myfelf as well
as I could, and ito fet the good againft the evil, that
J might have fomething to diftinguifh my cafe from
worfe; andlftated it very impartially, like debtor
and creditor, the comforts I enjoyed againft the
miferies I fuffered, thus:

Evil. Good.

/ am caji vfon a horrU But I am alive^ and

ble defolate ijland^ void of not drowned^ asallmyjhifi

all hope of recovery. company was.

I am fingled out and But I amfingled out too
fcparated^ as it were^from from all the jhip's crew to
all the worlds to be mifera* befparedfrom death ; and '
ble. he that miraculoujly faved

me from deaths can deliver ^
v^efrom this condition.
Voii,. !♦ G lam

82 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

Evil. Good.

/ am divided from man* But lam notjlarvedand
kind J a folitaire^ one ba^ perijhing on a barren place j
nijhed from human fociety. affording no Jiujienance.

I have not clothes to But I am in a hot cli*
€over me. mate^ where if I had clothes

I could hardly wear them.

I am without any de- But I am cajl on an
fence or means to rejiji any ijlandj where I fee no wild
violence of man or beafi. beafis to hurt me^ as If aw

onthe coafl of Mxiz'dL'. and
what if I had been Jhip-'
wrecked there ?

J have no foul to fpeak But Godwonderfullyfent
tOj or relieve me. the Jhip in near enough to

the fhore^ that I have got-
ten out fo many neceffary
things as will either fupply
my wantSy or enable me to
fupply myfelf even as long
as Hive.

Upon the whole, here was an undoubted tefti-
mony, that there was fcarce any condition in the
world fo miferable, but there was fomething negative
or fomething pofitive to be thankful for in it j and let
this ftand as a diredlion from the experience of the
moft miferable of all conditions in this world, that we

may

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. S^

may always find in it fomething to comfort ourfelves
from, and to fet in the defcription of good and evil,
on the credit fide of the account.

Having now brought my mind a little to relifli
my condition, and given over looking out to fea,
to fee if I coiild fpy a fhip ; I fay, giving over thefe
things, I began to apply myfelf to accommodate my
way of living, and to make things as eafy to me as I
could.

I have already defcribed my habitation, which
was a tent under the fide of a rock, /furrounded with
a fl:rong pale of ports and cables, but I might now
rather call it a wall, for I raifed a kind of wall up
againft it of turfs, about two foot thick on the out*
fide, and after fome time, I think it was a year and
half, I raifed i afters from it, leaning to the rock,
and thatched or covered it with boughs of trees, and
fuch things as I could get to keep out the rain,
which I found at fonie times of the year very
violent.

I have already obferved how I brought all my
goods into this pale, and into the cave which I
had made behind me : but I muft obferve too that
at firft this was a confufed heap of goods, which as
they lay in no order, fo they took up all my place,
I had no room to turn myfelf j fo I fet myfelf to
enlarge my cave and works farther into the earth ;
for it was a loofe fandy rock, which yielded eafily to
the labour I beftowed on it : and fo when I found I
was pretty fafe as to hearts of prey, I worked fide-
ways to the right hand into the rock ; and then,
turning to the right again, worked quite out, and

G 2 made

§4 I-IFE AND ADVEN'KJRES

made me a door to come out, on the outfide of my
pale or fortification.

This gave me not only egrefs and regrefs, as it
were a back-way to my tent and to my ftore-hbufe,
but gave me room to ftow my goods.

And now I began to apply myfelf to make fuch
neCeflary things as I found I mofl: wanted, particularly
a chair and a table ; for without thefe I was not able
to enjoy the few comforts I had in the world ; I could
not write or eat, or do feveral things with fo much
pleafure without a table.

So I went to work ; and here I muft needs obferve,
that as reafon is the fubftance and original of the
mathematicks, fo by ftating and*fquaring every
thing by reafon, and by making the moft rational
judgment of things, every man may be in time
mafter of every mechanick art. I had never handled
a tool in my life, and yet in time by labour, appli-
cation and contrivance, I found at laft that I wanted
i;iothing but I could have made it, efpecially if I had
had tools ; however I made abundance of things,
even without tools, and fome with no more tools
than an adze' and a hatchet, which perhaps were
never made that way before, and that with infinite
labour : for example, if I wanted a board, I had no
other way but to cut do\ATi a tree, fet it on an edge
before me, and hew it flat on either fide with my
axe, till I had brought it to be as thin as a plank,
and then dub it fmooth with my adze. It is true,
by this method I could make but one board out of
a whole tree, but this I had no remedy for but
patience, any more than I had for the prodigious

deal

n.,.- >e ./ ■ ,■ ■ /U.{/,>,

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 85

deal of time and labour which it took me up to make
a plank or board: but my time or labour was
little worth, and fo it was as w^ell employed one way
as another.

However, I made me a table and a chair, as I
obferved above, in the firfl; place, and this I did out
of the fliort pieces of boards which I brought on my
raft from the fliip : but when I had wrought out
fome boards, as above, I made large (helves, of the
breadth of a foot and a half one over another, all
along one fide of my cave, to lay all my tools, nails,
and iron-work, and, in a word, to feparate every
thing at large in their places, that I might come
eafily at them ; I knocked pieces into the wall of
the rock to hang my guns and all things that would
hang up.

So that had my cave been to be feen, it looked
like a general magazine of all neceffary things ; and
I had every thing fo ready at my hand, that it was
a great pleafure to me to fee all my goods in fuch
order, and efpecially to find my ftock of all necef-
faries fo great.

And now it was that I began to keep a journal
of every day's employment ; for indeed at firft I was
in too much a hurry; and not only hurry as to
labour, but in too much difcompofure of mind, and
my journal would have been full of many dull things.
For example, I muft have faid thus : Sept. the 30th,
after I got to fliore, and had efcaped drowning,
inftead of being thankful to God for my deliverance,
having firft vomited with the great quantity of fait
water which was gotten into' my ftomach, and
recovering myfelf a little, I ran about the fhore,

G 3 wringing

86 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

wringing my hands, and beating my head and face,
exclaiming at my mifery, and crying out, I was
undone, undone ; till, tired and faint, I was forced to
lie down on the ground to repofe, but durft not fleep
for fear of being devoured.

Some days after this, and after I had been on
board the fhip, and got all that I could out of her,
yet I could not forbear getting up to the top of a
little mountain, and looking out to fea in hopes of
feeing a fliip ; then fancy at a vaft diftance I fpied a
fail ; pleafe myfelf with the hopes of it j and then,
after looking fteadily till I was almoft blind, lofe it
quite, and fit down and weep like a child, and thus
increafe my mifery by my folly.

But having gotten over thefe things In fome
meafure, and having fettled my houfhold-ftufF and
habitation, made me a table and a chair, and all
as handfome about me as I could, I began to keep
my journal, of which I Ihall here give you the copy
(though in it will be told all thefe particulars over
again) as long as it lafted ; for having no more ink,
I was forced to leave it off.

The journal.

September 30, 1659/

I POOR miferable Robin/on Crufoe^ being fliip wreck-
ed, during a dreadful ftorm, in the offing, came
on ftiore on this difmal unfortunate ifland, which I
called the JJland of Defpair^ all the reft of the ftiip's
company being drowned, and myfelf almoft dead.

All the reft of that day I fpent in affliding myfelf
at the difmal circumftances I was brought to, viz^ I

had

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 87

had neither food, houfe, clothes, weapon, or place
to fly to, and in defpair of any relief, faw nothing
but death before me, either that I fhould be devoured
by wild beafts, murdered by favages, or ftarved to
death for want of food. At the approach of night
I flept in a tree, for fear of wild creatures, but flept
foundly though it rained all night.

06lober i. In the morning I faw, to my great
furprife, the fliip had floated wilh the high tide, and
was driven on fhore again much nearer the ifland,
which as it was fome comfort on one hand, for feeing
her fit upright, and not broken to pieces, I hoped,
if the wind abated, I might get on board, and get
fome food and neceflaries out of her for my relief;
fo on the other hand, it renewed my grief at the lofs
of my comrades, who I imagined if we had all fl:aid
on board might have faved the fliip, or at leaft that
they would not have been all drowned, as they were ;
and that, had the men been faved, we might perhaps
have built us a boat out of the ruins of the fliip, to
have carried us to fome other part of the world. I
fpent great part of this day in perplexing myfelf on
thefe things ; but at length, feeing the fliip almofl: dry,
I went upon the fand as near as I could, and then
fwam on board ; this day alfo it continued raining,
though with no wind at all.

From the ifl: of Odober to the 24th. All thefe
days entirely fpent in making feveral voyages to
get all I could out of the fliip, which I brought
on fliore, every tide of flood, upon rafts. Much
rain alfo in thefe days, though with fome intervals
of fair weather : but, it feems, this was the rainy
feafon.

G 4 Oa. 20.

88 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OSl. 20. I overfet my raft, and all the goods I
had got up upon it : but being in fhoal water, and
the things being chiefly heavy, I recovered many of
them when the tide was out.

061. 25. It rained all night and all day, with
fome gufts of wind, during which time the fhip
broke in pieces, the wind blowing a little harder
than before, and was no more to be feen, except
the wreck of her, and that only at low water. I
fpent this day in covering and fecuring the goods
which I had faved, that rain might not fpoil
them.

Od. 26. I walked about the fhore almoft all day,
to find out' a place to fix my habitation, greatly
concerned to fecure myfelf from any attack in the
night, either from wild beafts or men. Towards
night I fixed upon a proper place under a rock, and
marked out a femi-circle for my encampment, which
I refolved to ftrengthen with a work, wall, or forti-
fication made of double piles, lined within with cable,
and without with turf.

From thq 26th to the 30th, I worked very hard
in carrying all my goods to my new habitation,
^though fome part of the time it rained exceeding
^hard.

The 31ft, in the morning, I went out into the
iifland with my gun, to fee for fome food, and difcover
the country ; when 1 killed a ftie-goat, and her kid
followed me home ; which I afterwards killed alfo,
becaufe it would not feed.

November i. J fet up my tent under a rock, and lay
there for the fifft night, making it as large as I could
with flakes driven in to fwing my hammock upon.

Nov^ 2

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 89

Not^. 2. I fet up all my chefts and boards, and
the pieces of timber which made my rafts, and with
them formed a fence round me, a little within the
place I had marked out for my fortification.
' Nov. 3. I went out with my gun, and killed
two fowls like ducks, which were very good
food. In the afternoon went to work to make me
a table.

Nov. 4. This morning I began to order my times
of work, of going out with my gun, time of fleep,
and time of diverfion*; viz. every morning I walked
out with my gun for two or three hours, if it did not
rain, then employed myfelf to work till about eleven
o^clock, then eat what I had to live on, and from
twelve to two I lay down to fleep, the weather being
exceffive hot, and then in the evening to work
again : the working part of this day, and of the
next, were wholly employed in making my table,
for I was yet but a very forry workman, though
time and neceffity made me a compleat natural
mechanick foon after, as I believe it would do any
one elfe.

Nov. 5. This day went abroad with my gun and
my dog, and killed a wild cat, her (kin pretty foft,
but her flefh good for nothing ; every creature I
killed I took off the Ikins and preferved them.
Coming back by the fea-fliore I faw many forts of
fea-fowls, which I did not underftand ; but was
furprized and almoft frighted with two or three
feals, which, while I was gazing at, not well
knowing what they were, got into the fea, and
efcaped me for that time*

Nov. 6.

90 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

Nov. 6. After my morning walk I went to work
with my table again, and finifhed it, though not to
my liking J nor was it long before 1 learned to
mend it.

Nov* 7. Now it began to be fettled fair weather*
The 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and part of the 12th,
(for the I ith was Sunday) I took wholly up to make
me a chair, and with much ado brought it to a tole-
rable fhape, but ijever to pleafe me ; and even in
the making I pulled it in pieces feveral times.
Nofte^ I foon neglefted my keeping Sundays^ for
omittihg my mark for them on my poft, I forgot
which was which.

Nov. 13. This day it rained, which refreflied me
exceedingly, and cooled the earth, but it was accom-
panied with terrible thunder and lightning, which
frighted me dreadfully for fear of my powder : as
foon ^ it was over I refolved to feparate my flock of
powder into as many little parcels as poflible, that it
might not be in danger.

Nov. 14, 15, 16. Thefe three days I fpent in
making little fquare chefts or boxes, which might
hold about a pound, or two pounds, at moft, of
powder ; and fo putting the powder in, I flowed it
in places as fecure and remote from one another as
poflible. On one of thefe three days I killed a
large bird that was good to eat, but I knew not
what to call it.

Nov. 17. This day I began to dig behind my tent
into the rock, to make room for my farther coave-
niency. Note^ Three things I wanted exceedingly
for this work, viz. a pick-axe, a fhovel, and a wheel*

barrow

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 91

barrow or bafket, fo I defifted from my work, and
began to confider how to fupply that want, and make
me fome tools : as for a pick-axe, I made ufe of the
iron crows, which were proper enough, though
heavy ; but the next thing was a fhovel or fpade ;
this was fo abfolutely neceflary, that indeed I could
do nothing effedlually without it j but what kind of
one to make I knew not.

Nov. 18. The next day in fearching the woods I
found a tree of that wood, or like it, which in
the Brafih they call the Iron Tree^ for its exceeding
hardnefs ; of this, with great labour and almoft
fpoiling my axe, I cut a piece, and brought it
home too with difficulty enough, for it was exceeding
heavy.

The exceffive hardnefs of the wood, and having
no other way, made me a long while upon this
machine ; for I v/orked it effeftually by little and
little into the form of a fhovel or fpade, the handle
exadly fhaped like ours in England^ only that the
broad part having no iron fhod upon it at bottom, it
would not lafl me fo long ; however it ferved well
enough for the ufes which I had occafion to put it to ;
but never was a fhovel, I believe, made after that
fafhion, or fo long a making.

I was ftill deficient, for 1 wanted a bafket or a
wheel-barrow : a baflvet I could not make by any
means, having no fuch things as twigs that would
bend to make wicker ware, at leafl none yet found
out ; and as to a wheel-barrow, 1 fancied I could
make all but the wheel, but that I had no notion of,
neither did I know how to go about it ; befides, I
had no poflible way to make the iron gudgeons for

the

92 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

the fpindle or axis of the wheel to run. in, fo I gave
it over ; and fo for carrying away the earth which I
dug out of the cave, I made me a thing like a hodd
which the labourers carry mortar in, when they
fcrve the bricklayers.

This was not fo difficult to me as the making the
fhovel ; and yet this, and the (hovel, and the attempt
which I made in vain to make a wheel-barrow, took
me up no lefs than four days, I mean always except-
ing my morning walk with my gun, which I feldom
failed ; and very feldom failed alfo bringing home
fomething to eat.

Nov. 23. My other work having now flood ftill,
becaufe of my making thefe tools, when they were
finiflied I went on, and working every day, as my
ftrength and time allowed, I fpent eighteen days
entirely in widening and deepening my cave, that it
might hold my goods commodioufly.

Note^ During all this time, I worked to make this
room or cave fpacious enough to accommodate me
as a warehoufe or magazine, a kitchen, a dining,
room, and a cellar ; as for my lodging, I kept to the
tent, except that fometimes in the wet feafon of the
year, it rained fo hard that I could not keep myfelf
dry, which caufed me afterwards to cover all my
place within my pale with long poles in the form of
rafters, leaning againft the rock, and load them with
flags and large leaves of trees like a thatch.

December 10. I began now to think my cave or
vault finiflied, when on a fudden (it feems I had
made it too large) a great quantity of earth fell down
from the top and one fide, fo much that in fliort it
frighted me, and aot without reafon too ; for if I had

been

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 93

been under it I had never wanted a grave-digger :
upon this difafter I had a great deal of work to do
over again ; for I had the loofe earth to carry out,
and, which was of more importance, I had the cieling
to prop up, fo that I might be fure no more would
come down,

Dec. II. This day I went to work with it accord-
ingly, and got two (hores or pofts pitched upright to
the top, with two pieces of boards a-crofs over each
poft ; this I finiflied the next day j and fetting more
pofts up with boards, in about a week more I had
the roof fecured ; and the pofts, ftanding in rows,
ferved me for partitions to part off my houfe.

Dec. 1 7. From this day to the twentieth I placed
fhelves, and knocked up nails on the pofts to hang
every thing up that could be hung up j and now I
began to be in fome order within doors »

Dec. 20. Now I carried every thing into the cave
and began to furnifti my houfe, and fet up fome
pieces of boards, like a dreffer, to order my victuals
upon ; but boards began to be very fcarce with me :
alfo I made me another table.

Dec. 24. Much rain all night and all day ; no
ftirring out.

Dec. 25. Rain all day.

Dec. 26. No rain, and the earth much cooler than
before, and pleafanter.

Dec. 27. Killed a young goat, and lamed another,
fo that I caught it, and led it home in a ftring; when
I had it home, I bound and fplintered up its leg,
which was broke. N. B. I took fuch care of it,
that it lived, and the leg grew well and as firong as
ever J but by nurfing it fo long it grew tame, and

fed

94 ^^^^ AND ADVINTURES

fed .upon the little green at my door, and would not
go away : this was the firft time that I entertained a
thought of breeding up fome tame creatures, that
I might have food when my powder and fliot was
all fpent,

Dec. 28, 29, 30. Great heats and no breeze;
fo that there was no ftirring abroad, except in the
evening for food : this time J fpent in putting all my
things in order within doors.

January i. Very hot ftill, but I went abroad early
and late with my gun, and lay ftill in the middle of
the day. This evening, going farther into the
valleys, which lay towards the centre of the ifland,
I found there was plenty of goats, though exceeding
fliy and hard to come at ; however I refolved to try
if I could not bring my dog to hunt them down.

Jan. 2. Accordingly, the next day, I went out
with my dog, and fet him upon the goats ; but I was
miftaken, for they all faced about upon the dog j and
he knew his danger too well, for he would not come
near them.

Jan. 3. I began my fence or wall ; which, being
ftill jealous of my being attacked by fomebody, I
refolved to make very thick and ftrong.

N. B. This wall being defcribed before^ I
furpofely omit what was /aid in the journal ;
it is fufficient to obferve^ that I was no lefs
time than from the ^d ^January to the 14th
of April, workings Jinijhing^ and perfeding
this wally though it was no more than about
24 yards in lengthy being a half circle from
one place in the rock to another place about
eight yards from ity the door of the cave being

in the centre behind itn

All

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 95

All this time I worked very hard, the rains
hindering me many days, nay, fometimes weeks
together j but 1 thought I fhould never be perfeftly
fecure until this wall was finifhed ; and it is fcarce
credible what inexpreflible labour every thing was
done with, efpecially the bringing piles out of the
woods, and driving them into the ground, for I
made them much bigger than I need to have done.

When this wall was finifhed, and the out-fide
double fenced with a turf-wall raifed up clofe to it,
I perfuaded myfelf that if any people were to come
on fhore there, they would not perceive any thing
like a habitation ; and it was very well I did fo, as may
be obferved hereafter upon a very remarkable occafion.

During this time I made my rounds in the woods
for game every day, when the rain admitted me, and
made frequent difcoveries in thefe walks of fomething
or other to my advantage ; particularly I found a
kind of wild pigeons, who built not as wood
pigeons, in a tree, but rather as houfe. pigeons, in
the holes of the rocks ; and taking fome young ones,
I endeavoured to breed them up tame, and did fo ;
but when they grew older they flew away, which
perhaps was at firft for want of feeding them, for I
had nothing to give them ; however I frequently
foimd their nefls, and got their young ones, which
were very good meat.

And now, in the managing my houfliold affairs, I
found myfelf wanting in many things, which I
thought at firfl it was impoflible for me to make, as
indeed as to fome of them it was ; for inflance, I
could never make a cafk to be hooped: I had a fmall
rxmlet or two, as I obferved before, but I could never
2 arrive

96 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

arrive to the capacity of making one by them, though
I fpent many weeks about it ; I could neither put in
the heads, or joint the ftaves fo true to one another
as to make them hold water; fo I gave that alfo over.

In the next place, I was at a great lofs for candle ;
fo that as foon as ever it was dark, which was gene-
rally by feven o'clock, I was obliged to go to bed : I
remembered the lump of bees-wax with which I made
candles in my African adventure, but I had none of,
that now ; the only remedy J had, was, that when I
had killed a goat I faved the tallow, and with a Uttle
difli made of clay, which I baked in the fun, to which
I added a wick of fome oakum, I nuade me a lamp ;
and this gave me light, though not a clear fteady
light like a candle. In the middle of all my labours
it happened, that rummaging my things, I found a
little bag, which, as I hinted before, had been filled
with corn for the feeding of poultry — not for this
voyage, but before, as I fuppofe, when the (hip
came from Lijbon ; what little remainder of corn had
been in the bag, was all devoured with the rats, and
I faw nothing in the bag but hufks and duft ; and
being willing to have the bag for fome other ufe, I
think it was to put powder in, when I 4ivided it for
fear of the lightning, or fome fuch ufe, I (hook the
hufks of corn out of it on one fide of my fortification
under the rock.

It was a little before the great rains, juft now men-
tioned, that I threw this ftuflf away, taking no notice
of any thing, and not fo much as remembering that I
had thrown any thing there ; when about a month
after, or thereabout, I faw fome few ffalks of fome-
thing green (hooting out of the ground, which I

fancied

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 97

fancied might be fome plant I had not feen j but I
was farprized and perfeOily aftonifhed, when after a
little longer time I faw about ten or twelve ears
come out, which were perfeft green barley of the
fame kind as our European, nay, as our Englijh
barley.

It is impoffible to exprefs the aftonifliment and
confufion of my thoughts on this occafion ; I had
hitherto aflred upon no religious foundation at all j
indeed I had very few notions of religion in my
head, or had entertained any fenfe of any thing that
had befallen me, otherwife than as a chance, or, asi
we lightly fay, what pleafes God ; without fo much
as enquiring into the end of Providence in thefe
things, or his order in governing events in the world :
but after I faw barley grow there, in a climate which
I knew was not proper for corn, and efpecially that
I knew not how it came there, it ftartled me
ftrangely ; and I began to fuggeft, that God had mira-
. culoufly caufed this grain to grow without any help
of feed fown, and that it was fo directed purely for
my fuftenance on that wild miferable place.

This touched my heart a little, and brought tears
out of my eyes, and I began to blefs myfelf, that
fuch a prodigy of nature fliould happen upon my
account ; and this was the more ftrange to me,
becaufe I faw near it ftill, all along by the fide of the
rock, fome other ftragling ftalks, which proved to
be ftalks of rice, and which I knew, becaufe I had
feen it grow in Africa^ when I was afliore there.

I not only thought thefe the pure produflions of
Providence for my fupport, but not doubting but
that there was more in the place, I went all over

Vol. I. H that

98 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

that part of the ifland, where I had been before, peeping
in every corner and under every rock to fee for more,
of it, but I could not find any; at laft it occurred
to my thought, that I had ftiook a bag of chickens meat
out in that place, and then the wonder began to ceafe ;
and I muft confefs,my religious thankfulnefs to God's
providence began to abate too, upon difcovering
that all this was nothing but what was common ;
though I ought to have been as thankful for fb
ftrange and unforefeen a providence as if it had been
miraculous; for it was really the work of Providence
as to me, that fhould order or appoint lo or 12;
grains of corn to remain unfpoiled, when the rats
had dellroyed all the reft, as if it had been dropt
from heaven : as alfo, that I Ihould throw it out in
that particular place, where, it being in the fhade of
a high rock, it fpjran^ up immediately ; whereas if I
had thrown it any where elfe at that time, it had been
burnt up and deftroyed.

I carefully faved the ears of corn, you may be
fure, in their feafon, which was about the end of
June^ and laying up every corn, I refolved to fow
them all again, hoping in time to have fome quantity
fufficient to fupply me with bread j but it was not till
the fourth year that I could allow myfelf the leaft grain
of this corn to eat, and even then but fparingly, as I
fliall fay afterwards in its order ; for I loft all that I
fowed the firft feafon, by not obferving the proper
time ; for I fowed it juft before the dry feafon, fo
that it never came up at all, at leaft not as it would
have done : of which in its place.

Befideg this barley, there were, as above, 20 or 2^0
ftalks of rice, which I preferycd with the fame care,

and

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 99

and whofe ufe was of the fame kind or to the fame
purpofe, viz. To make me bread, or rather food ;
for I found ways to cook it up without baking, though
I did that alfo after fome time. But to return to
my journal.

I worked exceffive hard thefe three or four months
to get my wall done; and the 14th of -rf/r/7I clofed
it up, contriving to go into it, not by a door, but
over the wall by a ladder, that there might be no
fign in the outfide of my habitation.

April 16. I finiihed the ladder, fo I went up with
the ladder to the top, and then pulled it up after me,
and let it down on the infide : this was a compleat
enclofure to me ; for within I had room enough, and
nothing could come at me from without, unlefs it
could firft mount my wall.

The very next day after this wall was finiflied, I
had almoft had all my labour overthrown at once,
and myfelf killed j the cafe was thus : As I was bufy
in the infide of it, behind my tent, juft in the
entrance into my cave, I was terribly frighted with a^
moft dreadful furprizing thing indeed ; for on a
fudden I found the earth come crumbling down from
the roof of my cave, and from the edge of the hill,
over my head, and two of the pofts I had fet up in
the cave cracked in a frightful manner: I was
heartily feared, but thought nothing of what was
really the caufe, only thinking that the top of my
cave was falling in, as fome of it had done before ;
and for fear I fliould be buried in it, I ran forward
to my ladder ; and not thinking myfelf fafe there
neither, 1 got over my wall for fear of the pieces of
the hill which I expefted might roll down upon me :

H 2 I was

lOO LIFE AND ADVENTURIIS

I was no fooner ftept down upon the firm ground,
but I plainly faw it was a terrible earthquake, for the
ground I flood on fhook three times at about eight
minutes diftance, with three fuch ihocks, as would
have overturned the ftrongeft building that could be
fuppofed to have flood on the earth ; and a great
piece of the top of a rock, which flood about half a
mile from me next the fea, fell down with fuch a
terrible noife as I never heard in all my life: I per-
ceived alfo the very fea was put into violent motion
by it ; and I believe the fhocks were flronger under
the water than on the ifland.

I was fo amazed with the thing itfelf, having never
felt the like, or difcourfed with any one that had,
that I was like one dead or flupified ; and the motion
of the earth made my flomach fick, like one that was
tojQTed at fea ; but the noife of the falling of the rock
awaked me, as it were, and roufing me from the
flupified condition I was in, filled me with horror,
and I thought of nothing then but the hill falling
upon my tent, and all my houfhold goods, and
burying all at once; and this funk my very foul
within me a fecond time.

After the third fhock was over, and I felt no more
for fome time, I began to take courage, and yet I had
not heart enough to get over my Wall again, for fear
of being buried alive, but fat flill upon the ground,
greatly cafl down and difconfolate, not knowing
what to do : all this while I had not the leafl ferious
religious thought, nothing but the common. Lord
have merqy upon me ; and when it was over, that
went away too.

While

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. lOl

While I fat thus, I found the air over-caft, and
grow cloudy, as if it would rain ; foon after that
the wind rofe by little and little, fo that in lefs than
half an hour it blew a moft dreadful hurricane : the
fea was all on a fudden covered over with foam and
froth, the fliore was covered with the breach of
the water, the trees were torn up by the roots,
and a terrible ftorm it was j and this held about
three hours, and then began to abate, and in two
hours more it was ftark calm, and began to rain
very hard.

All this while I fat upon the ground, very much
terrified and dejeded, when on a fudden it came
into my thoughts, that thele winds and rain being
the confequence of the earthquake, the earthquake
itfelf was fper\t and over, and I might venture into
my cave again : with this thought my fpirits began
to revive, and the rain alfo helping to perfuade me,
I went in and fat down in my tent, but the rain was
fo violent, that my tent was ready^tn hp.beaten down
with it ; and I waT^TForced to go into my cave,
though very much afraid and uneafy, for fear it fliould '\
fall on my head. "^ - \

This violent rain forced me to a new work, viz^
to cut a hole through my new fortification like a fink,
to let water go out, which would elfe have drowned
my cave. After I had been in my cave fome time, and
found ftill no more fhocks of the earthquake follow,
I began to be more compofed ; and now, to fupport
my fpirits, which indeed wanted it very much, I
went to my little ftore, and took a fmall fup of rum
which however I did then, and always, very fparingly^
knowing I could have no more when that was gone*

H 3 It

162 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

It continued raining all that night, and great part
of the next day, fo that I could not ftir abroad ; but
my mind being more compofed, I began to think of
what I had beft do, concluding, that if the ifland
was fubjefl: to thefe earthquakes, there would be no
living for rae in a cave, but I muft confider of build-
ing me fome little hut in an open place, which I
might furround with a wall as I had done here, and
fo make myfelf fecure from wild beafls or men : but
concluded, if I ftaid where I was, I fliould certainly,
one time or other, be buried alive.

With thefe thoughts I refolved to remove my tent
from the place where it flood, which was juft under
the hanging precipice of the hill, and which, if it
fliould be fhaken again, would certainly fall upon my
tent : and I fpent the two next days, being the 19th
.and 20th oi Aprils in contriving where and how to
remove my habitation.

The fear of being fwallowed up alive, made me
that I never flept in quiet ; and yet the apprehenfion
of lying abroad, without any fence, was almoft equal
to it } but ftill, when I looked about and faw how
every thing was put in order, how pleafantly con-
cealed I was, and how fafe from danger, it made
rate very loth to remove.

In the mean time it occurred to me that it would
require a vaft deal of time for me to do this, and that
I muft be contented to run the venture where I was,
till I had formed a camp for myfelf, and had fecured
it fo as to remove to it : fo with this refolution I
compofed myfelf for a time, and refolved that I would
go to work with all fpeed to build me a wall with piles
and cables, l5fc. m a circle as before ; and fet my

tent

OF ROBINSON CRUSOfi* ^lOJ

tent Up in it when it was finiflied, but that I would
venture to flay where I was till it was finifhed and fit
to remove to* This was the 21ft.

April 22. The next morning I began to confider
of means to put this refolve in execution, but I was
at a great lofs about my tools ; I had three large
axes and abundance of hatchets, (for we carried the
hatchets for traffick with the Indians) but with much
chopping and cutting knotty hard wood, they were
all full of notches and dull, and though I had a grinds
ftone, I could not turn it and grind my tools too :
this coft me a$ much thought as a ftatefman would
have beftowed upon a grand point of politicks, or 1
judge upon the life and death of a man. At length
I contrived a wheel with a ftring, to turn it with my
foot, that I might have both my hands at liberty*
Note J I had never feen any fuch thing in England^ or
at leaft not to take notice how it was done, though
lince I have obferved it is very common there;
befides that, my grind-ftone was very large and
heavy. This machine coft me a full week's work to
bring it to perfeftion.

April 28, 29. Thefe two whole days I took up
in grinding my tools, my machine for turning my
grind-ftone performing very well.

April 30. Having perceived my bread had been
low a great while, now I took a furvey of it, and
reduced myfelf to one bifcuit ciake a day, which
made my heart very heavy.

May I. In the morning, looking towards the fea*
fide, the tide being low, I faw fcmiething lie on the
(hore bigger than ordinary ; and it looked like a ca(k.
When I came to it, I found a fmall barrel, and two

H 4 or

I04 LII'E AND ADVENTURES

or three pieces of the wreck of* the fliip, "which
were driven on fhore by the late hurricane;
and looking towards the wreck itfelf, I thought it
feemed to lie higher out of the water than it ufed
to do : I examined the barrel which was driven on
Ihore, and foon found it was a barrel of gunpowder,
but it had taken water, and the powder was caked
as hard as a ftone; however I rolled it farther on fhore
for the prefent, and went on upon the fands as near as
I could to the wreck of the fliip, to look for more.

When I came down to the fhip, I found it ftrangely
removed; the fore-caftle, which lay before buried
in fand, was heaved up at lead fix foot j and the
ftern, which was broke to pieces, and parted from
the reft by the force of the fea, foon after I had left
rummaging her, was toffed, as it were, up, and caft
on one fide, and the fand was thrown fo high on
that fide next hen ftern, that whereas there was a
great place of water before, fo that I could not come
within a quarter of a mile of the wreck without
fwimming, I could, now walk quite up to her when
the tide was out. I was furprized with this at firft,
but foon concluded it muft be done by the earth-
quake: and as by this violence the fhip was more,
broken open than formerly, fo many things came
, daily on fhore, which the fea had loofened, and which
the winds and water rolled by degrees to the land.

This wholly diverted my thoughts from the defign
of removing my habitation ; and I bufied myfelf
mightily that day efpecially, in fearching whether I
could make any way into the fhipj but I found
nothing was to be expedked of that kind, for that
all the infide of the fhip was choked up with fand :

however,

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I05

however, as I had learnt not to defpair of any thing,
I refolved to pull every thing to pieces that I could
of the fhip, concluding, that every thing I could get
from her would be of fome ufe or other to me.

May 3. I began with my faw, and cut a piece of a
beam through, which I thought held feme of the
upper part or quarter-deck together ; and when I had
cut it through, I cleared away the fand as well as I
could from the fide which lay higheft ; but the
tide coming in, I was obliged to give over for
that time*

May 4. I went a fifliing, but caught not one fifh
that I durft eat of, till I was weary of my fport ; when
juft going to leave off, I caught a young dolphin. I
had made me a long line of fome rope yarn, but I had
no hooks, yet I frequently caught fifli enough, as
much as I cared to eat j all which I dried in the fun,
and eat them dry.

May 5. Worked on the wreck, cut another beam
afunder, and brought three great fir planks off from
the decks, which I tied together, and made fwim
on fhore when the tide of flood came on.

May 6. Worked on the wreck, got feveral iron
bolts out of her, and other pieces of iron-work;
worked very hard, and came home very much tired,
and had thoughts of giving it over.

May 7. Went to the wreck again, but with an
intent not to work, but found the weight of the
wreck had broke itfelf down, the beams being cut,
that feveral pieces of the fhip feemed to lie loofe j
and the infide of the hold lay fo open, that I could
fee into it, but almofl full of water and fand.

May 8.

IC6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

May 8. Went to the wreck, and carried an iron
crow to wrench up the deck, which lay now
quite clear of the water or fand ; I wrenched open
two planks, and brought them on fliore alfo with
the tide: I left the iron croW in the wreck for
next day.

May 9. Went to the wreck, and with the crow
#made way into the body of the wreck, and felt
feveral calks, and loofened them with the crow,
but could not break them up ; I felt alfo the roll of
Englijh lead, and could ilir it, but it was too heavy
to remove.

May 10, II, 12, 13, 14. Went every day to the
wreck, and got a great many pieces of timber,
and boards, or plank, and two or three hundred
weight of iron.

May 15. I carried two hatchets, to try if I
could not cut a piece off the roll of lead, by
placing the edge of one hatchet, and driving it
with the other ; but as it lay about a foot and a half
in the water, I could not make any blow to drive
the hatchet.

May 16. It had blowed hard in the night, and
the wreck appeared more broken by the force of the
water; but I (laid fo long in the woods to get
pigeons for food, that the tide prevented me going
to the wreck that day.

May 1 7. I faw fome pieces of th^ wreck blown
on fhore, at a great diftance, near .two miles off
me, but refolved to fee what they were, and found
it was a piece of the head, but too heavy for me to
bring away.

May 24.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I07

May 24. Every day to this day I worked on the
•wreck, and with hard labour I loofened fome things
fo much with the crow, that the firft blowing tide
feveral caflcs floated out, and two of the feamen's
chefts; but the wind blowing from the fliore^
nothing came to land that day but pieces of
timber, and a hogfliead, which had fome Brazil
pork in it, but the falt-water and the fand had
fpoiled it.

I continued this work every day to the 15th of
^une^ except the time neceflary to get food, which
I always appointed, during this part of my employ-
ment, to be when the tide was up, that I might be
ready when it was ebbed out ; and by this time I
had gotten timber, and plank, and iron-work enough
to have built a good boat, if I had known how ; and
alfo, I got at feveral times, and in feveral pieces,
near 1 00 weight of the Iheet-lead^

"June 16. Going down to the feafide, I found a
large tortoife or turtle ; this was the firft I had feen,
which it feems was only my misfortune, not any
defed of the place, or fcarcity ; for had I happened
to be on the other fide of the ifland, I might have
had hundreds of them every day; as I found
afterwards ; but perhaps had paid dear enough for
them.

yune 1 7- I fpent in cooking the turtle ; I found
in her threefcore eggs ; and her flefh was to me at
that time the moft favoury and pleafant that ever
I tafted in my life, having had no flefh, but of
goats and fowls, fmce I landed in this horrid
place.

"June 1 8,

Io8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

yune 1 8. Rained all day, and I flayed within. I
thought at this time the rain felt cold, and I was
fomething chilly, which I knew was not ufual in
that latitude.

June 19. Very ill, and fhivering, as if the weather
had been cold.

yune 20. No reft all night, violent pains in my
head, and feverifh.

"June 21. Very ill, frighted almoft to death with
the apprehenfions of my fad condition, to be fick,
and no help : Prayed to God for the fir ft time
lince the ftorm off Hull^ but fcarce knew what I
faid, or why j my thoughts being all confufed.

"June 22. A little better, but under dreadful
apprehenfions of ficknefs.

Jime 23. Very bad again, cold and fhivering, and
then a violent head-ach.

yune 24. Much better.

yune 25. An ague very violent ; the fit held me
feven hours, cold fit and hot, with faint fweats
after it,

yune 26. Better ; and having no vidkuals to eat,
took my gun, but found myfelf very weak j however
I killed * a fhe-goat, and with much difficulty got
it home, and broiled fome of it, and eat ; I would
fain have ftewed it, and made fome broth, but had
no pot.

June 27. The ague again fo violent, that I lay
a-bedall day, and neither eat or drank. I was ready
to perifh for thirft, but fo weak I had not ftrength
to ftand up, or to get myfelf any water to drink :
prayed to God again, but was light-headed; and
I when

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I09

when I was not, I was fo ignorant that I knew not
what to fay ; only I lay and cried, Lord look upon me ;
Lord pity me ; Lord have mercy upon me : I fuppofe
I did nothing elfe for two or three hours, till the fit
wearing off, I fell afleep, and did not wake till far in
the night J when I waked, I found myfelf much
refrefhed, but weak, and exceeding thirfty : how-
ever, as I had no water in my whole habitation,
I was forced to lie till morning, and went to
fleep again : In this fecond fleep I had this terrible
dream.

I thought that I was fitting on the ground on
the out-fide of my wall, where I fat when the ftorm
blew after the earthquake, and that I faw a man
defcend from a great black cloud, in a bright flame
of fire, and light upon the ground : He was all over
as bright as a flame, fo that I could but juft bear to
look towards him j his countenance was mofl inex-
preffibly dreadful, impoflible for words to defcribe ;
when he flepped upon the ground with his feet
I thought the earth trembled, jufl as it had done
before in the earthquake, and all the air looked to
my apprehenfion as if it had been filled with flalhes
of fire.

He was no fooner landed upon the earth, but he
moved forward towards me, with a long fpear or
weapon in his hand to kill me ; and when he cam6
to a rifing ground, at fome diflance, he fpoke to
me, or I heard a voice fo terrible, that it is impoflible
to exprefs the terror of it ; all that I can fay I
underfl:ood was this. Seeing all thefe things have not
brought thee to repentance^ now thou Jhalt die : at

which

no LIFE AND ADVENTURES

which words I thought he lifted up the fpear that
was in his hand to kill me.

No one, that (hall ever read this account, will
cxpeft that I fhould be able to defcribe the horrors
of my foul at this terrible vifion ; I mean, that evett
while it was a dream, I even dreamed of thofe
horrors ; nor is it any more poffible to defcribe the
impreffion that remained upon my mind, when I
awaked, and found it was but a dream.

I had, alas! no divine knowledge; what I had
received by the good inftruftion of my father was
then worn out by an uninterrupted feries, for eight
years, of fea-faring wickednefs, and a conftant
converfation with nothing but fuch as were like
myfelf, wicked and prophane to the laft degree:
I do not remember that I had in all that time one
thought that fo much as tended either to looking
upwards toward God, or inwards toward a refleftion
upon my own ways : but a certain ftupidity of foul,
without defire of good, or confcience of evil, had
entirely overwhelmed me, and I was all that the moft
hardened, unthinking, wicked creature among our
common failors can be fuppofed to be, not having
the lead fenfe, eitherof the fear of God in danger, or
of thankfulnefs to God in deliverances.

In the relating what is already paft of my ftoty,
this will be the more eafdy believed, when I (hall
add, that through all the variety of miferies that
had to this day befallen me, I never had fo much
as one thought of it being the hand of God, or
that it was a juft puni(hmait for my fin, my
rebellious behaviour againft my father, or my
4 prefent

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. Ill

prefent fins, which were great ; or fo much as a
punifliment for the general courfe of my wicked
life. When I was on the defperate expedition on
the defart fhores of Africa^ I never had fo much as
9ne thought of what would become of me ; or one
wifh to God to direft me whither I fhould go, or
to keep me from the danger which apparently
fiirrounded me, as well from voracious creatures as
cruel favages: but I was merely thoughtlefs of a
God, or a Providence, a£):ed like a mere brute from
the principles of nature, and by the diftates of com«
mon fenfe only, and indeed hardly that.

When I was delivered, and taken up at fea by the
Portugal captain, well ufed, and dealt juftly and
honourably with, as well as charitably, I had not the
lead thankfulnefs on my thoughts: when again I
was fhipwrecked, ruined, and in danger of drowning
on this ifland, I was as far from remorfe, or looking
on it as a judgment ; I only faid to myfelf often,
that I was an unfortunate dog^ and bom to be always
miferable.

It is true, when I got on Ihore firft here, and
found all my fhip's crew drowned, and myfelf
fpar^d, I was furprifed with a kind of extafy, and-
fome tranfports of foul, \«4iich, had the grace of
God affifted, might have come up to true thank-
fulnefs ; but it ended where it begun, in a mere
common flight of joy, or, as I may fay, being glad
I was alive^ without the leaft refleflion upon the
diflinguifhing goodnefs of the hand which had
preferved me, and had fingled me out to be pre-
ferved, when all the reft were deftroyed ; or an
inquiry why Providence had been thus merciful to

me J

112 LllfE AKD ADVENTURES

xne; even juft the fame common fort of joy which
feamen generally have, after they have got fafe
on fhore from a fliipwreck, which they drown all in
the next bowl of punch, and forget almoft as
foon as it is over j and all the reft of my life was
like it.

Even when I was afterwards, on due conlidera-
tion, made fenfible of my condition ; how I was
caft on this dreadful place, out of the reach of
human kind, out of all hope of relief, or profpefl: of
redemption ; as foon as I faw but a profpeft of living,
and that I fliould not ftarve and perifli for hunger,
all the fenfe of my afflidtion wore off, and I began
to be very eafy, applied myfelf to the works proper
for my prefervation and fupply, and was far enough
from being afflifted at my condition, as a judgfnent
from heaven, or as the hand of God againft me :
thefe were thoughts which very feldom entered into
my head.

The growing up of the corn, as is hinted in my
journal, had at firft fome little influence upon me,
and began to affeft me with ferioufnefs, as long as I
thought it had fomething miraculous in it ; but as
foon as ever that part of thought was removed, all
the impreflion which was raifed from it wore oflf
alfo, as I have noted already.

Even the earthquake, though nothing could be
more terrible in its nature, or more immediately
directing to the invifible power, which alone direfts
fuch things ; yet ho fooner was the firft fright over,
but the impreflion it had made went off alfo. I
had no more fenfe of God, or his judgments, much
lefs of the prefent afl[li6tion of my circumftances being

from

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* It^

from his hand, than if I had been in the moft
profperous condition of life.

But now, when I began to be lick, and a leifurely
view of the miferies of death came to place itfelf
before me ; when my fpirits begun to fink under the
burden of a ftrong diftemper, and nature was
exhaufted with the violence of the fever ; confcience,
that had flept fo long, began to awake, and I began
to reproach myfelf with my paft life, in which I
had fo evidently, by uncommon wickednefs, pro*
yoked the juftice of God to lay me under
uncommon ftrokes, and to deal with me in fo
vindidive a manner.

Thefe refledions oppreffed me from the fecond or
third day of my diftemper, and in the violence, as
well of the fever as of the dreadful reproaches of my
confcience, extorted fome words from me, like
praying to' God, though I cannot fay they were
either a prayer attended with defires, or with hopes ;
it was rather the voice of mere fright and diftrefs :
my thoughts were confufed, the convidions great
upon my mind, and the horror of dying in fuch a
miferable condition, raifed vapours into my head
with the mere apprehenfions ; and, in thefe hurries
of my foul, I knew not what my tongue might
exprefs : But it was rather exclamation ; fuch as.
Lord ! what a miferable creature am I ! If I fhould
be fick, I ihall certainly die for want of help, and
what will become of me ? Then the tears burft
out of my eyes, and I could fay no more for a
good while.

In this interval the good advice of my father
came to my mind, and prefently his prediction.

Vol; L I which

114 LIF£ AND AbVEKTUREd

which 1 mentioned in the beginning of this ftory j
^iz. That if I did take this foolifli ftep, God would
not blefs me, and I would have leifure hereafter to
refleft upon having negkfted his counfelj when
there might be none tb aflift in my . recovery.
Now, faid I aloud, my dear father*s words arfe come
to pafs : God's juftice has overtaken me, iand I have
none to help or hear me ; I rejefted the voice of
Providence, which had mercifully put me in a pofture
or ftatioh of life whef ein I might have been happy
and eafy; but I would neither fee it myfelf, ndr
learn to know the bleffing of it from my parents ;
I left them to mourn over my folly, and now I am
left to mourn under the confequenCes of it : I refufed
their help and affiftance, who would have liftied me
into the world, and would have made every thing
eafy to me ; and now I have difficulties to ftruggle
with, too great for even nature itfelf to fupport,
and no affiftance, no help, no comfort, no advice.
Then I cried out. Lord, be my help, for I am in
great diftrefs !

This was the firfi: prayer, if I might call it fo^
tliat I had made for many years. But I return 16
my journal.

yu:2e 28. Having been fomewhat refrefhed with
the fleep t had had, and the fit being entirely off, I
got up: and though the fright and terror of my
dream was very great, yet I confidered, that the fit
of the ague would return again the next day, and
now was my time to get foiriething to refrefh and
fupport myfelf when I fliould be ill j and the firft
thing I did, 1 filled a large fquare cafe bottle with
water, and fet it upon my table, in reach of my bed ;

and

OF ItOBIKSOK CRUSOE* I15

And to take off the chill or aguifh difpofition of the
water, I put about a quarter of a pint of rum into it,
and mixed them together : then I got me a piece of
the goat's flefh) and broiled it on the coals^ but
could eat very little. I walked about, but was very
weak, and, withal, very fad and heavy-hearted under
a fenfe of my miferable condition, dreading th^
retul-n of my diftemper the next day : at night I
made my fupper of three of the turtle's eggs, which
I roafted in the afhes, and eat, as we call it, in the
fhell ; and this was the firft bit of meat I had ever
alked God's blefGng to, even, as 1 could remember^
in my whole life.

After I had eaten 1 tried to walk; but found
myfelf fo weak, that I could hardly carry the gun
(for I never went out without that;) fo I went
but a little way, and fat down upon the ground,
looking out upon the fea, which was juft before mc,
and very calm and fmooth. As 1 fat here, fome
fuch thoughts as thefe occurred to me :—

What is the earth and fea, of which I have feen fo
much? Whence is it produced? And what am I,
and all the other creatures, wild and tame, human
and brutal ; whence are we ?

Sure we are all made by fome fecret power, who
formed the earth and fea, the air and fky ; and who
is that ?

Then it followed, mofl: naturally : it is God that has
made it all. Well, but then it came on ftrangely ; if
God has made all thefe things, he guides and governs
them all, and all things that concern them ; for the
Being that could make all things, muft certainly
have power to guide and direft them.

I 2 If

Il6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

If foj' nothing can happen in the great circuit of
his works, either without his knowledge or appoint-
ments

And if nothing happens without his knowledge,
lie knows that I am here, and am in a dreadful
condition; and if nothing happens without hi*
appointment, he has appointed all this fo befal me^

Nothing occurred to mj thoughts t6 contradiiS:
any of thefe conclufions } and therefore it refted
upon me with the greater force, that it muft needs
"be, that God had appointed all this to befal me ;
that I was brought to this miferable circufiiftance by
his diredion, he having the fole power, not of me
only, but of every thing that happened in the worlds
Immediately it followed,

Why has God done this to me ? Wl^athave I done to be
thus ufed?

My confcience prefently checked me in that
inquiry, as if I had blafphemed ; and methought it
fpoke to me, like a voice; Wretch! doft thou ajk
what thou hajl done ? Look back upon a dreadful
mif-pent life, and afk thyfelf vjhat thou hajl not done?
Afk, why is it that thou weft not- lojig ago dejlroyed?
Why wert thou not drowned in Yarmouth Roads ?
killed in the fight when the Jhip was taken by the
Sallee man of war ? devoured by the wild beajis on the
€oafl of Africa^? or, drowned HEREj when alt
the crew perijhed but thyf elf ? Doft thou aik. What
have I done ?

I was ftruck with thefe reflexions as one
aftonifhed, and h^d not a word' to fay, no, not to
anfwer to myfelf; but rbfe up penfive and fad,
walked back to my retreat, and went up over my

wall*

OF ROBINSON CJlUSOEf JI/

wall, as if I h^d been going to bed ; but my thoughts
were fadly difturbed, and I had no inclination to .
fleep; fo I fat down in my chair, and lighted my
lamp, for it began to b^ dark. Now, as the
apprehenfions of the return of my diftemper terrified
me very much, it occurred tp jny thought, that the
BrqftHans take no phyfic but their tpbacco, for
almoft all diftempers ; and I had a piece of ^ roll
of tobacco in one of the chefts, which was quite
cured, and fome alfp that was green, and not quite
cured.

I went, direded by Heaven, no doubt ! for in this
chefl: I found a cure both for foul and body ! I opened
the cheft, and found what I looked for, viz. the
tobacco ; and as the few books I had faved lay there
too, I took out one of the bibles which I mentioned
before, and which, to this time, I had not found
leifure, or fo much as inclination, to look into ; I
lay I took it oiit, and brought both that and the
tobacco with me to the table.

What ufe to ipake of the tobacco I knew not,
as to my diftemper, or whether it was good for it or
no ; but I tried feveral experiments with it, as if I
refolved it fhould hit pne \vay pr other: I firft
took a piece of a leaf, and chewed it in my mouth,
which indeed at firft almoft ftupified my train, the
tobacco being green and ftrong, and that I had not
been much ufcd to it ; tl^en I took fome, and fteeped
it an hour or two in fome rum, and refolved to take
a dofe of it when I lay down ; and laftly, I burnt fpme
upon a pan of coals, and held my nofe clofe over
the fmoke of it, as long as I could bear it, as well
I 3 for

Il8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

ibr the heat as the virtue of it, and I held almoft
to fuffocation.

In the interval of this operation I took up the
bible, and began to read ; but my head was too
much difturbed with the tobacco to bear reading, at
leaft at that time ; only having opened the book
cafually, the firft words that occurred to me were
thefe. Call on me in the day of trouble^ and I will
deliver ihee^ and thoujhalt glorify me.

The words were very apt to . my cafe, and made
fome impreflion upon my thoughts at the time of
reading them, though not fo much as they did
afterwards ; for as for being delivered, the word
had no found, as I may fay ^ to me ; the thing was fo
remote, fo impoffible in my apprehenfion of things,
that 1 began to fay as the children of Ifrael did
when they were promifed flefli to eat. Can Godfpread
a table in the loildernefs ? fo I began to fay. Can God
himfelf deliver me from this place i And as it was
not for many years that any hope appeared, this
prevailed very often upon my thoughts : but, how-
ever, the words made a very great impreffipn upon
me, and I mufed upon them very often, It grew now
late, and the tobacco had, as I faid, dozed my head
fo much, that I inclined to fleep ; fo that I left my
lamp burnipg in the cave, left J fhould want any
thing in the night, anc^ went to bed : but before I
lay down, I did what I never had done in all my
life ; I kneeled down and prayed to God to fulfil
the promife to me, that if I called upon him iji the
day of trouble, he would deliver me. After my
broken and imperfeft prayer was over, I drank the
rum in which I had fteeped the tobacco, which was

fo

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE^ I tj

fo ftrong and rank of the tobacco, that indeed I could
fcarce get it down. Immediately upon this I went
to bed, and I found prefently it flew up into my
head violently j but I fell ijito a found fle^p, and
waked no more, till by the f\in it muft neceflarily be
near three o'clock in the afternoon the next day ; nay,
to this hour I am partly of the opinion, that I flept
all the next^ day and night, and till aln^pft three the
day after ; for otherwife I ki^ew not how I fhould
lofe a day out of my reckoning in the . days of the
week, as it appeared fpme years after I had done ; .
for if I had loft it by qrofling and re-croffing the
line, I fhould have loft more thai^ z, day ; but in
my account it was loft, and I never knew which way.

Be that however one way or other, when I
awaked, I found myfelf exceedingly refrelhed, and
my. fpirits lively and chearful : When I got up, I
was ftronger than I was the day before, and my
ftomach better ; for I was hungry ; and, in fhort,
I had no fit the next day, but continued much
altered for the better. This was the 29th.

The 30th was my well day, of courfe ; and I went
abroad with my gun, but did not care to travel too
far: I killed a fearfowl or two, fomething like a
brand goofe, and brought them home, but was not
very forward to eat them : fo I eat fome more of
the turtle's eggs, which were very good. This
evening I renewed the medicine which I had fup-
pofed did me good the day before, vizp the tobacco
fteeped in rum ; only I did not take fp much as
before, nor did I chew any of the leaf, or hold my
head, over the fmoke : however, I was not fo well
the next day, which was the firft of July^ as I hoped

I 4 I fhouljd

120 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

I ihouid have been ; for I had a little fpice of the
cold fit, but it was not much.

'July 2. I renewed the medicine all the three
ways, and dozed myfelf with it at fir ft, and doubled
the quantity which I drank,

July 3. I miffed the fit for good and all, though I
did not recover my full ftrength for fome weeks
after. While I was thus gathering fti-^ength, my
thoughts run exceedingly upon this fcripture, / will
deliver thee / and the impoffibility of my deliverance
lay much upon my mind, in bar of my ever
expefting it : but as I was difcouraging myfelf with
fuch thoughts, it occurred to my mind, that I pored
fo much upon my deliverance from the main
affliftion, that I difregarded the deliverance I had
received ; and I was, as it were, made to aik myfelf
fuchqueftions as thefej viz^ Have I not been delivered,
and wonderfully too, from ficknefs ? from the moft
diftreffed condition that could be, and that was fo
frightful to me ? and what notice had I taken of it ?
had I done my part ? God had delivered me : but /
had not glorified him : that is to fay, I had not owned
and been thankful for that a& a deliverance ; and how
could I expe<^ greater deliverance ?

This touched my heart very much, and imme*
diately I kneeled down, and gave God thanks aloud,
for my recovery from my ficknefs,

July 4. In the morning I took the bible ; and, be-»
ginning at the New Teftament, I began feripufly to
read it, and impofed upon myfelf. to read a while
every morning and every night, not tying myfelf to
the number of chapters, but as loitg as my thoughts
ihouid engage me ; it was not long after I fet ferioufly
to this work, but I found my heart more deeply and

finccrely

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. lit

fmcerely affefted with the wickednefs of my paft life j
the impreffion of my dream revived, and the words.
All tbefe things have not brought thee to repentance^
ran ferioufly in my thoughts : I was earneftly begging
of Gop to give me repentance, when it happened
providentially the very day, that, reading the fcrip-
ture, I came to thefe words. He is exalted a Prince
and a Saviour J t^ give repentance^ andtogiveremiffion:
I threw down the book, and with my heart as well
as my hand lifted up to heaven, in a kind of ecftacy of
joy, I cried out aloud, Jefus thou/on of D^Yidj Je/us^
thou exalted Prince and Saviour j give me repentance!

This was the firft time that I could fay, in the true
fenfe of the words, that I prayed in all my life; for
now I prayed with a fenfe of my condition, and with
a true fcripture view of hope, founded on the en-
couragement of the word of God ; and from this
time, I may fay, I began to have hope that God
would hear me.

Now I began to conftrue the words mentioned
above. Call on me^ and I will deliver thee^ in a dif-
ferent fenfe from what I had ever done before ; for
then I had no notion of any thing being called de*
iiverance, but my being delivered from the captivity
I was in ; for though I was indeed at large in the
place, yet the ifland was certainly a prifon to me,
and thaf in the worft fenfe in the world ; but now
I learned to take it in another fenfe. Now I looked
back upon my paft life with fuch horror, and my fins
appeared fo dreadful, that my foul fought nothing of
God, but deliverance from the load of guilt that bore
down all my comfort. As for my folitary life, it was
nothing j I did not fo much as pray to be delivered

from

122 LIFE ANP APVENTURW

from it, or think pf it ; it was all of no confidera-^
tion, in comparifon of this : and I sodded this part
here, to hint to whoever fliall read it, that whenever
they come to a true fenfe of things, they will find
deliverance from fin a much greater blgffiiig thai]^
deliverance from afiUaion.

But, leaving this part, I return to my journal.

My condition began now to be, though not lefs
miferable as to my way of living, yet much eafier to
my mind ; and my thoughts being direded by a con^
ftant reading the fcripture, and praying to God, to
things of a higher nature, I had a great deal of com^
fort within, which till now I knew nothing of: alfo
as my health and ftrength returned, I beftirred my-
felf to furnifh myfelf with every thing that I wanted^
and make my way of living as regular as I could.

From the 4th of ^uly to the 14th, I was chiefly
employed in walking about with my gun in my hand,
a little and a little at a time, as a man that was
gathering up his ftrength after a fit of ficknefs ; for
it is hardly to be imagined hpw low I was, and to
what weaknefs I was^ reduced, The application
which I made ufe of was perfedly new, and per-
haps what had never cured an ague before j neither
can I recommend it to any one to praftice by this
experiment ; and though it djd 9arry off the fit, yet
it rather contributed to weaken me ; for I had fre*
quent convulfions in my nerves and limbs for fom^
time.

I learnt from it alfo this in particular, that being
^brosd in the rainy feafon was the moil perniciou§

thing

OF ROBINSON CRUSOH. 1^3

thing to my health that could be, efpecially in thofc
rains which came attended with ftorms and hurm
canes of wind ; for as the rain which came in a dry
leafon was always mod accompanied with fuch ftorms^
fo I found this rain was much more dangerous than
the rain which fell in September and Odober.

I had been now in this imhappy ifland above ten
months ; all poflibility of deliverance from this con-
dition feemed to be entirely taken from me j and I
firmly believed that no human fhape had ever fet
foot upon that place. Having now fecured my
habitation, as I thought, fully to my mind, I had a
great defire to make a more perfefl: difcovery of the
ifland, and to fee what other produftions I might
find, which yet I knew nothing of.

It was the 15th of July that I began to take a more
particular furvey of the ifland itfelf ; I went up the
creek firfl:, where, as I hinted, I brought my rafts on
fliore. I found, after I came about two miles up,
that the tide did not flow any higher, and that it was
no more than a little brook of running water, and
very frefli and good ; but this being the dry feafon,
there was hardly any water in fome parts of it, at
leaft not enough to run into any fliream, fo as it
could be perceived.

On the bank of this brook I found many pleafant
fevannas or meadows, plain, fmooth, and covered
with grafs ; and on the rifing parts of them next to
the higher grounds, where theVater, as it might be
fuppofed, never overflowed, I found a great deal of
tobacco, green, and growing to a great and very
ftrong ftalk : there were divers other plants which I
had no notion of, or underftanding about; and

might

124 ^I^^ -^ND ADVENTUJUp:5

might perhaps have virtues of their own, which I
could not find out.

I fearched for the caflfave root, which the Indians
in all that climate make their bread of, but I could
find none. I faw large plants of aloes, but did not
then underjftand them; I faw feveral fugar canes,
but wild, and, for want of cultivation, imperfed. I
contented myfelf with thefe difcoveries for this time,
and came back mufing with myfelf what courfe I
might take to know the virtue and goodnefs of any of
the fruits or plants which I fhould difcover, but could
bring it to no conclufion : for, in fhort, J had made
fo little obfervation while I was in th^ Braftls^ that I
knew little of the plants of the field, at lead very
little that might f^rve me tp any purpofe now in my
diftrefs.

The next day, the i6th, I went up the fame way
again; and, after going fomething farther than I
had done the day before, I found the brook and the
favannas began to ceafe, and the country became
more woody than before^ In this part I fouild dif-
ferent fruit<^ and particularly I found melons upon
the ground in great abundance, and grapes upon the
trees; the vines had fpread indeed over th^ treeSj^
and the clufters of grapes were juft now in their
prime, very ripe and rich. , This was a furprifing
difcovery, and I was exceeding glad of them, but \
was warned by my experience to eat fparingly of tbem,
remembering, then when I was alhore in Barbary^
the eating of grapes killed feveral of our Englijh7nen
who were flaves there, by throwing them into fluxes
and fevers: but I found an excellent ufe for thefe
grapes, and that was to cure or dry them in the fun,

w4

OF ROBINSON CRUSOfi 12^

and keep them as dried grapes or raifins ate k^t,
which I thought would be, as indeed they were, as
whoiefome, and as agreeable to eat, when no grapes
might be had.

I fpent all that evening there, and went not badi
to Iny habitation, which by the way was the firfl:
night, as I might fay, I had lain from home. In the
night I took my firft contrivance, and got up into a
tree, where I flept well, and the next morning pro-
ceeded upon my difcovery, travelling near four miles,
as I might judge by the length of the valley, keeping
ftiil due north, with a ridge of hills on the fouth and
north fide of me.

At the end of this march I came to an opening,
where the country feemed to defcend to the weft ;
and a little fpring of frefli water, which iflued out of
the fide of the hill by me, ran the other way, that
is, due eaft ; and the country appeared fo frefh, fo
green, fo flourilhing, every thing being in a conftant
verdure or flourilhing of fpring, that it looked like a
planted garden.

I defcended a little on the fide of that delicious
valley, furveying it v^th a fecret kind of pleafure
(though mixed with other aflSifting thoughts) to
think that this was all my own, that I was king and
lord of all this country indefeafibly, and had a right
of poffeffion ; and if I could convey it, I might have
it in inheritance, as completely as any lord of a
manor in England* I faw here abundance of cocoa-
trees, orange and lemon, and citron-trees, but all
wild, and few bearing any fruit ; at leaft, not then :
however, the green limes that I gathered were not
only pleafant to eat, but very whoiefome j^ and I
2 • mixed

126 lIFfi AMD ADVENTURES

mixed their juice afterwards with water, which made
it very wholefome, and very cool and refrelhing.

I found now I had bufmefs enough to gather and
carry home ; and refolved to lay up a flore, as well
of grapes as limes and lemons, to furnifh myfelf for
the wet feafon, which I know was approaching.

In order to do this I gathered a great heap of
grapes in one place^ and a leffer heap in another
place, and a great parcel of limes and lemons in
another place j and taking a few of each with me,
I travelled homeward, and refolved to come again,
and bring a bag or fack, or what I could make, to
carry the reft home.

Accordingly, having fpent three days in this
journey, I came home (fo I muft now call my tent,
and my cave ;) but before I got thither, the grapes
were fpoiled; the richnefs of the fruit, and the
weight of the juice, having broken them, and bruifed
them, they were good for little or nothing : as to the
limes, they were good, but I could bring but a few.

The next day, being the 19th, I went back,
having made me two fmall bags to bring home
my harveft : But I was furprifed, when Coming to
my heap of grapes^ which were fo rich and fine when
I gathered them, I found them all fpread abroad,
trod to pieces, and dragged about, fome here, fome
tliere, and abundance eaten and devoured : By this
I concluded there were fome wild creatures there-
abouts, which had done this ; but what they were I
knew not.

However, as I found there was no laying them up
on heaps, and no carrying them away in a fack, but
that one way they would be deftroyed, and the other

way

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. t2J

way they would be cruflied with their own weight, I
took another courfe ; for I gathered a large quantity
of the grapes, and hung them upon the out branches
of the trees, that they might cure and dry in the fun}
and as for the limes and lemons, I carried as many
back as I could well ftand under.

When I came home from this journey, I contem-
plated with great pleafure on the fruitfulnefs of that
valley, and the pleafantnefs of the lituation, the fe-
curity from ftorms on that fide of the water, and the
wood ; and concluded that I had pitched upon a place
to fix my abode which was by far the worft part of
the country. Upon the whole, I began to confider of
rertioving my habitation, and to look out for a place
equally fafe as where I now was fituated, if poffible,
in that pleafant fruitful part of the ifland.

This thought ran long in my head, and I was
exceeding fond of it for fome time, the pleafantneft
of the place tempting me ; but when I came to a
nearer view of it, and to confider that I was now by
the fea fide, where it was at leaft poffible that fome-
thing might happen to my advantage, and that the
fame ill fi^te that brought me hither, might bring
fome other unhappy wretches to the feme place ; and
though it was fearer probable that any fuch thing
fliould ever happen, yet to inciofe myfelf among the
hills and woods, in the centre of the ifland, was 'to
anticipate my bondage, and to render fuch an affair
not only improbable, .but impoflible ; and that there-
fore I ought not by any means to remove.

However, I was fo enamoured with this place, thai
I fpent much of my time there for the whole remain-
ing part of the month of July; and though, upon

iiecond

JmS LitE AKD AbVENTURES

fei^ond thoughts I refolved as above, net to remote^
yet I built me a little kind of a bower, and furrounded
it at a diftance with a ftrong fence, being a double
hedge, ias high as I could reach, well ftaked and
filled betweeh with brufliwood ; and here I lay very
fecure, fometimes two or three nights together, al-
ways going Over it with a Jadder, as before ) fo that
I fancied now I had my country houfe, and my fea-
coaft houfe : and this work took me up the begin*
ning of Auguji.

I had but newly finifhed my fence, and began ta
enjoy my labour, but the Ains came on, and mude
me ftick clofe to my firft habitation ; forthouf' I had
made me a tent like the other, with a piece of a fail,
and fpread it very welU yet I had not the ihelter of a
hill to keep me from ftorms, nor a cave behind me
to retreat into when the rains were extraordinary.

About the beginning of Auguji^ as I faid, I had
finifhed my bower, and began to enjoy myfelf. The
third of Auguji I found the grapes I had hung up
Were perfeftly dried, and indeed were exellent good
raifms of the fun ; fo I began to take them down
from the trees, and it was very happy that I did fo ;
for the rains which followed would have fpoiled them,
and I had loft the beft part of my winter food ; for I
had above two hundred large bunches of them. No
fooner had I taken them -all down, and carried moft
of them home to my cave, but it began to rain j and
from thence, which was the fourteenth oi ^n^Ji^ it
rained more or lefs every day, till the middle of
X)£loher i and fometimes fo violently, that I could
not ftir out of my cave for feveral days.

. In this feafon I was much furprifed with the increafe
of my family : I bad been concerned for the lofs of

one

oj? koBmsoN CRUSOE* 129

btife of my cats, who ran away from me, or, as I
thought^ had been dead ; and I heard no more tale
or tidings of her, till, to my aftonifhment, fhe came
home about the end of Attguji^ with three kittens.
This was the more ftrange to me, becaufe though I
had killed a wild cat, as I called it, with my gun^
yet I thought it was a quite different kind from our
European cats ; yet the young cats were the fame
kind of houfe breed like the old oiie ; and both my
cats being females, I thought it very ftrange : but
from thefe three cats, I afterwards came to be fo
pcAered with cats, that fewas forced to kill them like
verm'yi, or wild hearts, and to drive them from my
houfe as much as poffible.

From the fourteenth of Auguji to the twenty-fixth,
inceflant rain, fo that I could not ftir, and was now
very careful not to be much wet. In this confinement
1 began to be ftraitened for foodj but venturing
out twice, I one day killed a goat : and the laft day,
which was the twenty-fixth, found a very large tor-^
toife, >vhich was a treat to me ; and my food was
regulated thus : I eat a bunch of raifms for my
breakfaft, a piece of the goat's flefli, or of the turtle,
for my dinner, broiled (for to my great misfortune
1 had no veffel to boil or ftew any thing) ; and two
or three of the turtle's eggs for fupper.

During this confinement in my cover by the rain,
I worked daily two or three hours at enlarging my
cave ; ^'^^ by degrees, worked it on towards one
fide, till I came to the outfide of the hill, and made
a door or way out, which came beyond my fence or
wall ; and fo I came in and out this way : but I was
not perfe£cly eafy at laying fo open j for as I had

Vol. I. K managed

1:3® ^l^^ -^ND ADVENTURES

managed myfelf before, I was in a perfed Inclofure,
whereas now I thought I lay expofed ; and yet I
could not perceive that there was any living thing
to fear, the biggeft creature that I had feen upon the
ifland being a goat.

September the thirtieth. I was now come to the
unhappy anniverfary of my landing : I caft up the
notches on my poft, and found I had been on fhore
three hundred and fixty-five days. I kept this day
as a folemn faft, fetting it apart to a religious exer-
cife, proflrating myfelf to the ground with the mod
ferious humiliation, confeffing myfelf to God, ac-
knowledging his righteous judgment upon me, and
praying to him to have mercy on me, through Jefus
Chrift ; and having not tafted the leaft refrefliment
for twelve hours, even to the going down of the fun,
I then eat a bifcuit-cake, and a bunch of grapes, and
went to bed, finifhing the day as 1 began it.

I had all this time obferved no fabbath-day ; for as
at firft I had no fenfe of religion upon my mind, I
had after fome time omitted to diftinguifh the weeks,
by making a longer notch than ordinary for the
fabbath-day, arid fo did not really know what any of
the days were ; but now, having caft up the days as
5ibove, I found I had been there a year ; fo I divided
it into weeks, and fet apart every feventh day for a
fabbath ; though I found at the end of my account
I had loft a day or two of my reckoning.

A little after this my ink began to fail me, and
fo I contented myfelf to ufe it more fparingly, and
to write down only the moft remarkable events of
my life, without continuing a daily memorandum of
other things.

The

OF ROBINSOlt CRU^S. I3I

^e rainy feafon, and the dry feafon, began now
to appear regular to* me, and I learned to divide them
fo as to provide for them accordingly. But I bought
all my experience before I had it ; and this I am
going to relate, was one of the mod difcouraging
experiments that I made at ail. I have mentioned^
that I had faved the few ears of barley and rice which
I had fo furprifmgly found ^ring up, as I thought,
of themfelves, and believe there were about thirty
ftalks of rice, and about twenty of barley ; and now I
thought it a proper time to fow it after the rains, the
fun being in its fouthern pofition«going from me.

Accordingly I dug up a piece of ground, as well
as I could, with my wooden fpade, and dividing it
into two parts, I fowed my grain ; but as I was fow-
ing, it cafually occurred to my thought, that I would
not fow it all at firft, becaufe I did not know when
was the proper time for it ; fo I fowed about two
thirds of the feeds, leaving about an handful of each.
It was a gieat comfort to me afterwards that I did
fo, for not one grain of that I fowed this time came
to any thing; for the dry months following, the earth
having had no rain after the feed Was fown, it had
no moifture to aflift its growth, and never came up
at all, till the wet feafon had come again, and then
it grew as if it had been newly fown.

Finding my firft feed did not grow, which I eafily
imagined was by the drought, I fought for a moifter
piece of ground to make another trial in ; and I dug
up a piecfe of ground near my new bower, and fowed
the reft of my feed in February^ a little before the
vernal equinox ; and this, having the rainy months
of March and Aj^ril \o water it, fprung up very plea*.

K 2 ^ fantly.

faatly, and yielded a very gocd crop; bm fenrf%
part of the feed left only^ aind »ot daring to fow all
that I had y6t^ I had but a fmall quantity at laft, my
whole crop not ansoonting tc^ abo>7C half a peck of
each kinid.

Btti by ihis ^perknce I wa& made m^iAer of my
bufmefsy and knetr exaflly when the piN^per feafon
to^as ta fbw 'f and that I might expe& two feed timies^
and two harvefts every yeafr

While thas corn was growing, I nade a little dif-
coyery, which was of ufe to me afterwards : As foort
zs the rains were over, and the weather began to
fettle, which was about the month of November j I
^ade a vifit up the country to my bower, where
though I had not been fome months, yet I found all
things juft as I feft them. The circle or double hedge
that 1 had made", was not only firm and entire, but
the flakes which I had cut off of fome trees that grew
thereabouts, were all fhot out, and grown with long
branches, as much as a willow tree itfuafiy Ihoots the
firft year after lopping its head. I could not tell
what tree to call it that thefe flakes were. Cut fromr
I was furpfifed, and yet very well pleafed, to fee the
young trees grow j and I pruned them, and led them?
up to grow as much alike as I could ; and it is fcarce
credible, how beautiful a figure they grew into in>
three years j fo that though the hedge made a circle
of about twenty-five yards in diameter, yet the trees^
for fuch I might now call them, fooa covered it j
and it was a complete fhade, fuffident to lodge under
all the dry feafon.

This made me refolve to cut fome more flakes^
and make me an hedge like this in a femicircle round

my

OF ROBINSON CRUSOI. 13^

fny wall, I mean that of my firft dwelling, which i
did ; and placing the trees or flakes in a double row,
at above eight yards diftance ftom j^my firft fence,
they grew prefently, and wene at firft a fine cover to
my habitation, and afterwards ferved for a defence
^1£6, as I fhall obierve in its order.

I found now, that the feafons of the year might
generally be divided, not into fummer and winter,
jas in Europe^ but into the rainy feafons, and the dry
^albns, whicl|i were generally thus :

Half i^.Wj|,|g^^.^y^ the fun being then on, of
Half ^/r//, J near the equinox.

M^y* j)ry^ the fun being then to the
•i""/' ^ north of the line.

Vm Augujl,^

Half^«?K/,")
September, \ Rain, the fun being then come back.

YbXiOaober,}
^■MOaober,-\

November^ J Dry, the fun being then to the fouth
December y y of the line.

Jsnmry, I
Half February,)

The rainy f^on fometiraes heW longer or Ihorter,
as the winds happened to blow ; but this was the
general obfervation I made. After I had found, by
experience, the ill confequence pf being abroad in
the rain, I took care to furnifh rnyfelf with provifion
beforehand, that J ipight no* be obliged to go out ;

k; 3 ^^

X34 I-IFE AND ADVBN*rURES

and I fat within doors as much as poflible during the
wet months.

In this time I found much employment, (and very
fuitable alfo to the time) for I found great occafion
of many things which I had no way to furnifh myfelf
with, but by hard labour and conftant application :
particularly, I tried many ways to make myfelf a
baflcet ; but all the twigs I could get for the purpofe
proved fo brittle, that they would do nothing. It
proved of excellent advantage to me now, that when
I was a boy, I ufed to take great delight in (landing
at a bafket-maker's in the town where my father lived,
to fee them make their wicker ware j and being, as
boys ufually are, very officious to help, and a great
obferver of the manner how they worked thofe things,
and fometimes lent a hand, I had by this means fo
full knowledge of the methods of it, that I wanted
nothing but the materials ; when it came into my
mind, that the twigs of that tree from whence I cut
my flakes that grew, might poffibly be as tough as
the fallows and willows, andofiers, in England; and
I refolved to try.

Accordingly the next day I went to my country-
houfe, as I called it, and cutting fome of the fmaller
twigs, I found them to tny purpofe as much as I
could defire ; whereupon I came the next time pre-
pared with an hatchet to cut down a quantity, which
ifoon foimd, for there was a great plenty of them:
'thefe I fet up to dry within my circle or hedges ; arid
when they were fit for ufe, I carried them to my
'(^ve ; and here during the next feafon I employed
jnyfelf in making, (as well as I could) a great many
'^'bafkets, both to carry earth, or to carry or lay up

^y

OF ROBINSOM CRUSOE, I35

any thing, as I had occafion ; and though I did not
finifh them very handfomely, yet I made them fuffi-
ciently ferviceable for my purpofe ; and thus after-
wards I took care never to be without them : and as
my wicker- ware decayed, I made more ; efpecially
I made ftrong deep balkets to place my corn in,
inftead of facks, when I fliould come to have any
quantity of it.

Having mattered this difficulty, and employed a
world of time about it, I beftirred myfelf to fee, if
poffible, how to fupply two wants. I had no veffels
to hold any thing that was liquid, except two rund-
lets, which were almoft full of rum, and fome glafs
bottles, fome of the common (ize, and others which
were cafe-bottles fquare, for the holding of waters,
fpirits, &c. I had not fo much as a pot to boil any
thing in, except a great kettle which I faved out of
the fhip, and which was too big for fuch ufes as I
defired it for, viz. to make broth, and ftew a bit of
meat by itfelf. The fecond thing I would fain have
had, was a tobacco pipe, but it was impoffible for
me to make one ; however, I found a contrivance
for that too at laft.

I employed myfelf in planting my fecond rows of
flakes of piles, and in this wicker work, all the
fummer, or dry feafon; when another bufmefs took
me up more t}me than it could be imagined I could
fpare.

I mentioned before, that I had a great mind to fee
the whole ifland, and that I had travelled up the brook,
and fo on to where I built my bower, and where I
had an opening quite to the fea, on the other fide of
the ifland. I now refolved to travel quite acrofs to

K4 the

136. LIFE AND ADVENTUR?:s

the fea fliore on that fide : So taking my gun, and
. hatchet, and my dog, and a larger quantity of pow-
der and ihot than ufual, with two bifcuit-cakes, and
a great bunch of raifms in my pouch, for my ftore,
I began my journey. When I had paffed the vale
where my bower flood, as above, I came within
view of the fea, to the weft ; and it being a very
clear day, I fairly defcried land, whether an ifland
or continent I could not tell ; but it lay very high,
extending from the Weft, to the W. S. W. at a
very great diftance ; by my guefs it could not be lefs
than fifteen or twenty leagues off,

I could not tell what part of the world this might
be, otherwife than tl^at I knew it muft be part of
America; and, as I concluded by all my obferva-
tions, muft be near the SpaniJJo dominions, and per-
haps was all inhabited by favages, where if I fhould
have landed, I had been in a worfe condition than
I was now ; and therefore I acqui^fced in the difpo-
fitions of Providence, which I began now to own,
and to believe, ordered every thing for the beft ; I
fay, I quieted my mirid with this, and left afflifl:ing
myfelf with fruitlefs wiflies of being there.

Befides, after fome ps^ufe upon this affair, I con-
fidered, that if this land was the Spanijh cpaft, I
fhould certainly, one time or other, fee foipe velfels.
pafs or repafs one way or other ; but if not, then it
was the favage cpaft between the Spanijh country and
BrafiU which were indeed the worft of favages ; for
they are cannibals, or men-eaters, and fail not to
murder and devour all the hu^lan bodies tha( fall
into their hands,

% With

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, I37

With thefe confiderations I walked very leifurely
forward. I found that fide of the ifland where I now
was, much pleafanter than mine, the open or favanna
fields fweet, adorned with flowers and grafs, and
full of very fine woods. I faw abundance of parrots,
and fain would I have caught one, if pofTible, to
have kept it to be tame, and taught it to fpeak to
me. I did, after fome pains taken, catch a young
parrot; for I knocked it down with a (lick, and
having recovered it, I brought it home, but it was
fome years before I could make him fpeak. However,
at laft I taught him to call me by my name, very
familiarly ; but the accident that followed, though
it be a trifle, will be very diverting in its place.

I was exceedingly diverted with this journey : I
found in the low grounds, hares, as I thought them
to be, and foxes, but they differed greatly from all
the other kinds I had met with ; nor could I fatisfy
myfelf to eat them, though I killed feveral : but I
had no need to be ventrous ; for I had no want of
food, and of that which was very good too : efpe-
cially thefe three forts, viz. goats, pigeons, and
turtle or tortoife j which, added to my grapes.
Leaden-hall market could not have fumiflied a better
table than I, in proportion to the company : and
though my cafe was deplorable enough, yet I had
great caufe for thankfulnefs, that I was not driven
to any extremities for food j but rather plenty, even
to dainties.

, I never travelled in this journey above two miles
putright in a day, or thereabouts ; but I took fo
many turns and returns, to fee what difcoveries I could
piake, that I came weary enough to the place where

I refolved

138 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

I refolved to fit down for all night j and' then either
repofed myfelf in a tree, or furrounded myfelf with
a- row of flakes fet upright in the ground, either from
one tree to another, or fo as no wild creature could
come at me without waking me.

As foon as I came to the fea-ftiore, I was furprifed
to fee that I had taken up my lot on the worft fide of
the ifland ; for here , indeed the fhore was covered
with innumerable turtles, whereas on the other fide
I had found but three in a year and an half. Here
was alfo an infinite namber of fowls of many kinds,
fome of which I had not feen before, and many of
them very good meat ; but fuch as I knew not the
names of, except thofe called penguins.

I could' have fhot as many as I pleafed, but was
very fparing of my powder and fhot : and therefore
had more mind to kill a fhe-goat, if I could, which
I could better feed on : and though there were many
more goats here than on the other fide of the ifland,
yet it was with much more difficulty that I could come
near them : the country being flat and even, and
they faw me much fooner than when I was on the
hills.

I confefs this fide of the country was much plea-
fanter than mine, but yet I had not the leafl inclina-
tion to remove ; for as i was fixed in my habitation,
it became natural to me ; and I feemed all the while
I was here, to be, as it were, upon a journey, and
from home : However, I travelled along the fhore
of the fea towards the eaft, I fuppofe, about twelve
miles ; and then fetting up a great pole upon the
fhore for a mark, I concluded I would go home
again ; and. the next journey I took fhould be on

the

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 139

the other fide of the ifland, eaft from my dwelling,
and fo round, till I came to my poft again : of which
in its place. '

I took another way to come back than that I went,
thinking I could eafily keep all the ifland fo much
in my view, that I could not mifs finding my firft
dwelling by viewing the country ; but I found myfelf
miftaken ; for being come about two or three miles,
I found myfelf defcended into a very large valley ;
but fo furrounded with hills, and thofe hills covered
with woods, that I could not fee which was my way
by any diredion but that of the fun ; nor even then,
unlefs I knew very well the pofition of the fun at that
time of the day.

It happened, to my farther misfortune, that the
weather proved hazy for three or four days, while I
was in this valley ; and not being able to fee the fun,
I wandered about very uncomfortably, and at laft
was obliged to find out the fea-fide, look for my poft,
and come back the fame way I went ; and then by
eafy journies I turned homeward, the weather being
exceeding hot ; and my gun, ammunition, hatchet,
and other things, very heavy.

In this journey my dog furprifed a young kid, and
feized upon it ; and I running in to take hold of it,
caught it, and faved it alive from the dog : I had a
great mind to bring it home, if I could ; for I Rad
often been mufing whether it might not be poffible
to get a kid or two, and fo raife a breed of tame
goats, which might fupply me when my powder and
ihot fhould be fpent.

I made a collar for this little creature; and with a
ftring which I made of feme rope yarn, which I

always

149 ^^^^ ^ND ADVENTURES

always carried about me, I led him along, though
with fome difficulty, till I came to my bower, and
there I enclofed him, and left him ; for I was very
impatient to be at home,^ from whence I had been
al^ent above a month,

I cannot exprefs what a fatisfaftion it was to me
to come into my old hutch, and lie down in my
hammock-bed : this little wandering journey, without
a fettled place of abode, had been fo unpleafant to
me, that my own houfe, as I called it to myfelf,
was a perfe^ fcttlement to me, compared to that }
^d it rendered every thing about mp fo comfortable,
that I refolved I would never go a great way from
it again, while it fhould be my lot to ftay on the
ittand.

I repofed myfelf here a week, to reft and regale
myfelf after my long journey ; during which, moft
of the time was taken up in the weighty affair of
making a cage for my Pollj who began now to be a
mere domeflic, and to b^ mighty well acquainted
^ith me. Then I began to think of the poor kid,
which I had pent in within ray little circle, and
refolved to go and fetch it home, and give it fome
food : accordingly I went, jmd found it where I left
it ; for indeed it could npt get out, but was almoft:
ftarved for want of food. 1 went and cut boughs of
trees and branches of fuph flirubs as I could find,
and threw it over ; and having fed it, I tied it as I
did before, to lead it away ; but it was fo tame with
being hungry, that I had no need to have tied it ;
for it followed me like a dog; ^d as I continually
fed it, the creature became fo loving, fo gentle,
^d fo fond, that it became from th^t time one

Qf

<!:•

6f ItOBINSON CRUSO£« t4i

bf my domeftics alfo, and would never leave me
afterwards.

The rainy fcafon of the Autumnal Equinox was
now come, and 1 kept the 30th of September in the
fame folemn manner as before, being the anniverfary
c^ my landing on the ijQand, having now been there
two years, and no more profpeft of being delivered
than the firft day I came there. I fpent the whole
day in humble and thankful acknowledgments of the
many wonderful mercies which my folitary condition
was attended with, and without which it might have
been infinitely more miferable. I gave humble and
hearty thanks^ that God had been plcafed to difc6ver
to me, even that it was poffible I might be more
happy in this folitary condition, than I fhould have
been in a liberty of fociety, and in all the pleifures
of the world : that he could fully make up to me the
deficiencies of my folitary flate, and the want of'
human fociety, by his prefence, and the communi-
cation of his grace to my foul, fupporting, com-
forting, and encouraging me to depend upon his
providence here, and hope for his eternal prefence
hereafter*

It was now that I began fenfibly to feel how much
more happy the life I now led was, with all its
miferable circumflanees, than the wicked, curfed
abominable life I led all the paft part of my days j
and now, having changed both my forrows and my
joy§, my very defires altered, my affeftions changed
their gufl, and my delights were perfeftly new from
what they were at firft coming, or indeed for the
two years paft*

Before

Ci

14^ LIFE AND ADVENTURES

Before as I walked about, either on my huntin^^
or for viewing tiie country, the anguilh of my foul
at my condition would break out upon me on a
fudden, and my very heart would die within me, t6
think of the woods, the mountains, the defarts I was
in ; and how I was a prifoner, locked up with the
eternal bars and bolts of the ocean, in an uninhabited
wildernefs,. without redemption* In the midft of
the greateft compofures of my mind, this would
break out upon me like a ftorm, and made me wring
my hands, and weep like a child. Sometimes it
would take me in the middle of my work, and I
would immediately lit down and figh, and ^look
upon the ground for an hour or two together ; and
this was ftill worfe to me ; for if I could burft out
into tears, or vent myfelf by words, it would go
off, and the grief, having exhaufted itfelf, would
abate.

But now I began to exercife myfelf with new
thoughts ; I daily read the word of God, and applied
all the comforts of it to my prefent ftate. One
morning, being very fad, 1 opened the bible upon
thefe words, / will never^ never leave thee^ not*
forfake theet Immediately itr*<JHlWrcd, that thefe
words were to me, why elfe fliould they be directed
in fuch a manner, juft at the moment when I was
mourning over my condition, as one forfaken of
God and man ? Well then, faid I, if God does not
forfake me, of what ill confequence can it be, or
what matters it, though the world fhould all forfake
me; feeing, on the other hand, if I had all the
world, and Ihould lofe the favour and blefling of
God, there would be no comparifon in the lofs ?

From

OP ROBINSON CRU80E. 143

Prom this moment 1 began to conclude in my
mind, that it was poffible for me to be more happy
in this forfaken, folitary condition, than it was
probable I fhould have ever been in any other par-
ticular date in the world ; and with this thought I
was going to give thanks to God for bringing me to
this place*

I know not what it was, but fomething fhocked
my mind at that thought, and I durft not fpeak the
words. How canft thou be fuch an hypocrite'(faid I,
even audibly), to pretend to be thankful for a con-
dition, which, however thou may eft endeavour to be
contented with, thou wouldeft rather pray heartily to
be delivered from ? So I flopped there ; but though
I could not fay I thanked God for being there, yet
I fmcerely gave thanks to God for opening my eyes,
by whatever affliding providences, to fee the former
condition of my life, and to mourn for my wicked-
nefs, and repent. I never opened the bible, or fhut
it, but my very foul within me bleffed God for di-
redting my friend in England^ without .any order of
mine, to pack it up among my goods ; and for aflift-
ing me afterwards to fave it out of the wreck of the

fl^ip- .'V . .

Thus, and in this difpofition of mind, I began

my third year ; and though I have not given the

reader the trouble of fo particular an account of my

works this year as at the firft, yet in general it may

be obferved, that I was very feldom -idle ; having

regularly divided my time, according to the feveral

daily employments that were before me; fuch as,

firft, my duty to God, and reading the fcriptures^

which I conftantly fet apart fome time for, thrice

4 every

144 ^l^B, AKJO AhVEUTUkM

every day. Secondly, the going abroad with itiygtift
for food, which generally tofok me up three hours
every morning when it did not rain. Thirdly^ the
the ordering^ curing, preferving, and cooking what
I had killed or catched for my fupply. Thefe took
np great part of the day. Alfo it is to be confidered,
that in the middle of the day, when the fun was
m the zenith, the violence of the heat was too great
to ftir out ; fo that about four hours in the evening;
was all the time I could be fuppofed to work in j
with this exception, that fometiraes I changed my
hours of hunting atid working, and went to work
in the morning, and abroad with my gun in the
afternoon.

To this fhort time allowed for labour, I defire
may be added the exceeding labourioufnefs of my
work ; the many hours, which for want of tools,
want of help, and want of ikill, every thing that I
did, took up, dut of my time : for example, I was
full two-and-forty days making me a board for a long
Ihelf, which I wanted in my cave j whereas two faw-
yers, with their tools and faw-pit, would have cut fix
of them out of the fame tree in half a day.

My cafe was this : It was to be a large tree which
was to be cut down, becaufe my board was to be a
broad one. The tree I was three days a cutting
down, and two more cutting off the boughs, and
reducing it to a log, or piece of timber. With in-
expreflible hacking and hewing^ I reduced both the
fides of it into chips, till it began to be light enough
to move ; then I turned it, and made one fide of it
fmooth and flat, as a board, from end to end : then
turning that fide dovmward, cut the other fide till I

brought

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I45

brought the plank to be about three inches thick,
and fmooth on both fides. Any one may judge the
labour of my hands in fuch a piece of work ; but
labour and patience carried me through that and
many other things ; I only obferve this in particular,
to fhew the reafon why fo much of my time went
away with fo little work, viz. That what might be
a little to be done with help and tools, was a vaft
labour, and required a prodigious time to do alone,
and by hand.

But notwithftanding this, with patience and la-
bour I went through many things, and indeed every
thing that my circumftances made neceffary for me
to do, as will appear by what follows,

I was now in the months of November and Decem-
ber^ expefting my crop of barley and rice. The
ground I had manured or dug up for them was not
great ; for, as I obferved, my feed of each was not
above the quantity of half a peck ; for I had loft one
whole crop by fowing in the dry feafon^ but now
my crop promifed very well, when on a fudden I
found 1 was in danger of lofing it all again by
enemies of feveral forts, which it was fcarce poffi-
ble to keep from it; as firft, the goats, and wild
creatures which I called hares, which, tafting the
fweetnefs of the blade, lay in it night and day, as
foon as it came up, and eat it fo clofe, that it could
get no time to Ihoot up into ftalks.

This I faw no remedy for, but by making an in-
clofure about it with an hedge, which I did with a
great deal of toil ; and the more, becaufe it required
a great deal of fpeed j the creatures daily fpoiling
my com. However, as my arable land was but
Vol. I. L ftnall,

146 LIFE AND ADVENTUHES

fmall, fuited to my crop^ I got it totally well fenced
in about three weeks time; and Ihooting fome of the
creatures in the day-time, I fet my dog to guard it in
the night, tying him up to a flake at the gate, where
he would (land and bark all night long: fo in a
little time the enemies forfook the place, and the
corn grew very flrong and well, and began to ripen
apace.

But as the beads ruined mt before, while my corn
was in the blade, fo the birds were as likely to ruin
me now, when it was in the ear ; for going along
by the place to fee how it throve, I faw my little
crop furrounded with fowls of I know not how many
forts, which flood as it were watching till I fhould be
gone. I immediately let fly among them, (for I
always had my gun with me.) I had no fopner
dot, but there arofe up a little cloud of fowls,
which I had not feen at all, from among the corn
itfelf.

This touched me fenfibly j for I forefaw, that in
a few days they would devour all my hopes : that I
(honld be flarved, and never be able to raife a crop
at all J and what to do I could not tell ; however, I
refolved, not to lofe my corn, if pofTible, though I
fhould watch it night and day. In the firfl place, I
went among it to fee what damage was already done,
and found they had fpoiled a good deal of it ; but
that, as it was yet too green for them, the lofs was
not fo great, but the remainder was like to be a good
crop, if it could be faved.

I flaid by it to load my gun, and then coming
away, I could eafily fee the thieves fitting upon all
the trees about me, as if they only waited till I was

gone

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 14;^

j^drle away^ and the event proved it to be fo ; for as
I walked off ias if I was gone, I was no fooner out
of their fight, but they dropped down one by one
into the corn again, I was fo pi'ovoked, that I
could not have patience to flay till more came on,
knowing that every grain that they eat now was, as
it might be faid, a peck loaf to me in the confe-
quence ; but coming up to the hedge, I fired again,
and killed three of them; This was what I wifhed
for ; fo I took them up, and ferved them as we ferve
notorious thieves in England;^ vizi hanged them in
chains, for a terror to others* It is impoffible to
imagine almoft, that this fhould have fuch an effedl
as it had ; for the fowls would not only not come at
the corn, but in Ihort they forfook all that part of the
ifland, and I could never fee a bird near the place as
long as my fcarecrows hung there.

This I was very glad of j you may be fure ; and
about the latter end of December^ which was our
fecond harveft of the year, I reaped my corn.

I was fadly put to it for a fcythe or a fickle to cut
It down, and all I could do was to make one as weU
as I could, out of one of the broad fwords, or cut*
lalTes, which I faved among the arms out of the fliip.
However, as my crop was but fmall, I had no great
difficulty to cut it down : in fhort, I teaped it my
way, for I cut nothing off but the ears, ,and carried
it away in a great bafket which I had made^ and fo
rubbed it out with my hands : and at the end of
all my harvefting I found, that out of my half,
peck of feed, I had near two bulhels of rice, and
above two bufhels and a half of barley, that is

L 2 tQ

148 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

to fey, by my guefs, for I had no meafure at that
time.

However, this was a great encouragement to me;
and I forefaw that in time it would pleafe Gob to
fupply me with bread : and yet here I was perplexed
i again; for I neither knew how to grind or make
meal of my corn, or indeed how to clean it, and part
it; nor, if made into meal, how to make bread of
it ; and if how to make it, yet I knew not how to
bake it. Thefe things being added to my defire of
having a good quantity for (lore, and to fecur.e a
conftant fupply, I refolved not to tafte any of this
crop, but to preferve it all for feed againft the next
feafon, and in the mean time to employ all my ftudy
aild hours of working to accomplifh this great work
of providing myfelf with corn and bread/

It might be truly faid, that I now worked for my
bread. It i« a little wonderful, and what I believe-
few people have thought much upon ; viz^ the ft range
multitude of little things neceflary in the providing,
producing, curing, dreffing, making, and finifhing,,
this one article of bread.

I, that was reduced to a mere ft ate of nature,
found this to be my daily difcouragement, and was^
made more and more fenfible of it every hour, even
after I got the firft handful of feed corn, which, as
I have faid, came up unexpe£tedly, and indeed to a
furprife.

Firft, I had no plough to turn the earth, no fpade
or (hovel to dig it. Well, thia I conquered by
making ja Wooden fpade, as I obferved before ; but
this did my work but in a wooden manner; and.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I49

though It coft me a great many days to make it, yet
for want of iron, it not only wore put the fooner,
but made my work the harder, and made it be per-
formed much worfe.

However, this I bore with too, and was content to
work it out with patience, and bear with the badnefs
of the performance. When the corn was fowed, I
had no harrow, but was forced to go over it myfelf,
and drag a great heavy bough of a tree over it, to
fcratch the earth, as it may be called, rather than
rake or harrow it.

When it v/as growing or grown, I have obferved
already how many things I wanted, to fence it,
fecure it, mow or reap it, cure or carry it home,
thrafh, part it from the chaff, and fave it. Then I
wanted a mill to grind it, fieves to drefs it, yeaft
and fait to make it into bread, and an oven to bake
it in ; and all thefe things I did without, as (hall
be obferved ; and yet the corn was an ineftimable
comfort and advantage to me too : but all this, as
I faid, made every thing labouflous and tedious to
me, but that there was no help for ; neither was my
time fo much lofs to me, becaufe I had divided it:
A certain part of it was every day appointed to thefe
works ; and as I refolved to ufe none of the corn for
bread till I had a greater quantity by me, I had the
next fix months to apply myfelf, wholly by labour
and invention, to furnifh myfelf with utenfils pro-
per for the performing all the operations necefiary
for the making the corn, when I had it, fit for my
ufe.

But firft I was to prepare more land, for I had
now feed ejiough to fow above an acre of ground.

L 3 Before

150 IJFE AND ADV£NTUR£S

Before I did this, I had a week's work at leaft to
make me a fpade, which, when it was done, was a
very forry one indeed, and very heavy, and required
double labour to work with it ; however, I went
through that, and fowed my feeds in two large flat
pieces of ground, as near my houfe as I could find
them to my mind, and fenced them in with a good
hedge, the flakes of which were all cut off that wood
which I had fet before, which I knew would grow ;
fo that in one year's time I knew I ihould have a
quick or living hedge, that would want but little
repair. This work was not fo little as to take me
up lefs than thre€ months ; becaufe great part of
that time was in the wet feafon, when I could not
go abroad.

Within-door, that is, when it rained, and I could
not go out, r found employment on the following
©ccafion, always obferving, that all the while I was
at work, I diverted myfelf with talking to my
parrot, and teaching him to fpeak ; and I quickly
learnt him to know his own name ; at laft, to fpeak
it out pretty loud. Poll ; which was the firft word
I ever heard fpoken in the ifland by any mouth but
my own. This therefore was not my work, but an
afliftant to my work ; for now, as I faid, I had a
great employment upon my hands, as follows : viz.
I had long ftudied, by fome means or other, to make
myfelf fome earthen veflels, which indeed I wanted
forely, but knew not where to come at them : how-
ever, confidering the heaf of the climate, I did not
doubt but if I could find out any fuch clay, I
might botch up fome fuch pot, as might, being
dried by the fun, be hard enough, and fltrong

enough.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, l^l

enough, to bear handling, and to hold any thing
that was dry, and required to be kept fo ; and as
this was neceflary in preparing corn, meal, &c.
which was the thing I was upon, I refolved to make
fome as large as I could, and fit only to ftand like
jars to hold what fliould be put into them.

I would make the reader pity me, or rather laugh
at me, to tell how many aukward ways I took to
raife this pafte, what odd mif-(hapen ugly things I
made, how many of them fell in, and how many
fell out, the clay not being ftiff enough to bear its
own weight ; how many cracked by the over-violent
heat of the fun, being fet out too haftily ; and how
many fell to pieces with only removing, as well
before as after they were dried; and, in a word,
how, after having laboured hard to find the clay,
to dig it, to temper it, to bring it home, and work
it, I could not make above two large earthen ugly
things, I cannot call them jars, in about two months
labour.

However, as the fun baked thefe two very dry and
hard, I lifted them very gently up, and fet them
down again in two great wicker-bafkets, which I
had made on purpofe for them, that they might not
break ; and, as between the pot and the baiket there
was a little room to fpare, I fluffed it full of the
rice and barley ^ draw ; and thefe two pots being
to ftand always dry, I thought would hold my dry
corn, and perhaps the ijieal when the corn was.
bruifed.

Though I mifcarried fo much in my defign for
large pots, yet I made feveral fmaller things with
4)€tter fuccefs J fuch as little round pots, flat difhes,

L 4 pitchers.

152 ' LIFE AND ADVENTURES

pitchers, and pipkins, and any thing my hand tunned
to ; and the heat of the fun baked them ftiangely
hard.

But all this would not anfwer my end, which was
to get an earthen pot to hold what was liquid, and
bear the fire, whick none of thefe could do. It
happened after fome time, making a pretty large fire
for- cooking my meat, when I went to put it out
after I had done with it, I found a broken piece of
one of my earthen- ware veffels in the fire, burnt as
hard as a ftone, and red as a tile. I was agreeably
furprifed to fee it, and faid to myfelf, that certainly
they might be made to burn whole, if they would
burn broken.

This fet me to ftudy how to order my fire, fo as
to make it burn me fome pots. I had no notion of a
kiln, fuch as the potters burn in, or of glazing them
with lead, though I had fome lead to do it with ; but
I placed three large pipkins, and two or three pots,
in a pile one upon another, and placed my fire- wood
all round it, with a great heap of embers under
them: I plied the fire with frefh fuel round the
outfide, and upon the top, till I faw the pots in the
infide red-hot quite through, and obferved that they
did not crack at all: when I faw them clear red, I
let them ftand in that heat about five or fix hours,
till I found one of them, though it did not crack,
did melt or run; for the fand which was mixed
with the clay, melted by the violence of the heat,
and would have run into glafs, if I had gone on ;
fo I flacked my fire gradually, till the pots began to
abate of the red colour; and watching them all
»ight, that I might not let the fire abate too faft, in

the

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I53

the mortimg I had three very good, I will not fay
handfome pipkins, and two other earthen pots,
as hard burnt as could be defired; and one of
them perfedly glazed with the running of the
fand.

After this experiment I need not fay that I wanted
no fort of earthen-ware for my ufe j but I muftneeda
fay, as to the fhapes of them, they were very in-
different, as any one may fuppofe, when I had no
way of making them, but as the children make
dirt-pics, or as a woman would make pies that
never learnt to raife pafte.

No joy at a thing of fo mean a nature was ever
equal to mine, when I found I had made an earthen
pot that would bear the fire ; and I had hardly
patience to ftay till they were cold, before I fet one
upon the fire again, with fome water in it, to boil
me fome meat, which I did admirably wellj and
with a piece of a kid I made fome very good broth,
though I wanted oatmeal, and feveral other ingre-,
dients requifite to make it fo good as I would have
had it.

My next concern was to get me a ftone mortar to
{lamp or beat fome corn in ; for as to the mill, there
was no thought of arriving to that perfeftion of art
with one pair of hands. To fupply this want, I was
at a great lofs ; for of all trades in the world I was
as perfecUy unqualified for a ftone-cutter, as for any
whatever ; neither had I any tools to go about it
with. I fpent many a day to find out a great ftone
big enough to cut hollow, and make fit for a mortar,
and could find none at all, except what was in the
folid rock, and which I had no way to dig or cut out;

nor

154 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

nor indeed were the rocks in the ifland of hardnefi
fiifBcient, but were all of a fandy crumbling ftone,
which would neither bear the weight of an heavy
peftle, nor would break the corn without filling it
with fand; fo, after a great deal of time loft in
fearching for a ftone, I gave it over, and refolved
to look out a great block of hard wood, which I
found indeed much eafier; and getting one as big as
I had ftrength to ftir, I rounded it, and formed it on
the outfide with my axe and hatchet ; and then, with
the help of fire and infinite labour, made an hollow
place in it, as the Indians in Brajil make their canoes.
After this, I made a great heavy peftle or beater, of
the wood called the iron-wood ; and this I prepared
and laid by againft I h^d my next crop of corn, when
I propofed to myfelf to grind, or rather pound, my
com or meal to make my bread.

My next difficulty was to make a fieve or fearce, to
drefs my meal, and part it from the bran and the hulk,
without which I did not fee it poffible I could have
any bread. This was a moft difficult thing, fo much
as but to think on ; for, to be fure, I had nothing like
the ncceffary things to make it with ; I mean fine
thin canvafs, or ftuff, to fearce the meal through.
And here I was at a full ftop for many months ; nor
did I really know what to do: linen I had none left but
what was mere rags ; I had goat's hair, but neither
knew I how to weave or fpin it ; and had I known
how, here were no tools to work it with : All the
remedy that I found for this, was, that at laft I did
remember I had among the feamen's clothes, which
were faved out of the fhip, fome neckcloths of calHco
or mullin ; and with fome pieces of thefe I made
2 three

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 155

three fmall fieves, but proper enough for the work ;
and thus I made fhift for fome years ; how I did af-
terwards, I ihall fhew in its place.

The baking part was the next thing to be €onfi-
dered, and how I fhould make bread when I came
to have corn ; for, firft, I had no yeaft : as to that
part, there was no fupplying the want, fo I did not
concern myfelf much about it. But for an oven, I
was indeed in great pain. At length I found out an
experiment for that alfo, which was this : I made
fome earthen veffels very broad, but not deep ; that Is
to fay, about two feet diameter, and not above nine
inches deep ; thefe I burnt in the fire, as I had done
the other, and laid them by ; and when I wanted to
bake, I made a great fire upon the hearth, which I
had paved with fome fquare tiles of my own making
and burning alfo ; but I fhould not call them fquare.

When the fire-wood was burnt pretty much into
embers, or live coals, 1 drew them forward upon
this hearth, fo as to cover it all over ; and there I
let them lie, till the hearth was very hot : then fweep-
ing away all the embers, I fet down my loaf, or
loaves ; and whelming down the earthen pot upon
them, drew the embers all round the outfide of the
pot, to keep in, and add to the heat : and thus, as
well as in the befl oven in the world, I baked my
barley-loaves, and became in a little time a mere
paftry-cook into the bargain ; for I made myfelf
feveral cakes of the rice, and puddings ; indeed I
made no pies, neither had I any thing to put into
them, fuppofing I had, except the flefh either of
fpwls or goats.

It

i^.

1^6 lIFE AND ADVENTURES

It need not be wondered at, if all thcfe things took
me up moll p^rt of the third year of my abode here »
for it is to be obferved, that in the intervals of thefe
things, I had my new harveft and hufbandry to ma-
nage : for 1 reaped my corn in its feafon, and car-
ried it home as well as I could, and laid it up in the
car, m my large bafkets, till I had time to rub it out ;
for I had no floor to thrafli it on, or inftrument to
thrafh it with.

And now indeed, my ftock of com increafing, I
really wanted to build my barns bigger : I wanted a
place to lay it up in ; for the increafe of the corn now
yielded me fo much, that I had of the barley about
twenty bufliels, and of the rice as much, or more ;
infomuch that I now refolved to begin to ufe it freely^
for my bread had been quite gone a great while ^ alfo
I refolved to fee what quantity would be fufficient for
me a whole year, and to fow but once a year,.

Upon the whole, I found that the forty bufhels of
barley and rice were ^jiuch more than I could con*
fume in a year ; fo I refolved to fow juft the fame
quantity every year that I fowed the laft, in hopes
that fuch a quantity would fully provide me with
bread, &c,

• All the while thefe things were doing, you may be
fiire my thoughts ran many times upon the profpeft
of land which I had feen from the other fide of the
ifland ; and I was not without fecret wifiies that I
was -on ftiore there, fancying that feeing the main
land, and an inhabited country, I might find fome
way or other to convey myfelf farther, and perhaps
at laft find fome means of efcape.

But

OF ROBINSOK CRUSOE. I57

But all this while I made no allowance for the
dangers of fuch a condition, and how I might fell
into the hands of favages, and perhaps fuch as I
might have reafon to think far worfe than the lions
and tigers of Africa : that if I once came into their
power, I fliould run an hazard more than a thoufand
to one of being killed, and perhaps of being eaten j
for I had heard that the people of the Caribean coafts
were cannibals, or men-eaters ; and I knew by the
latitude that I could not be far off from that fliore :
that, fuppofe they were not cannibals, yet they might
kill me, as many Europeans who had fellen into their
hands had been ferved, even when they had been ttn
or twenty together ; much more I that was but one,
and could make little or no defence. All thefe things,
I fay, which I ought to have confidered well of, and
I did caft up in my thoughts afterwards, yet took
none of my apprehenfions at firft; and my head
ran mightily upon the thoughts of getting over to
that fhore.

Now I wifhedfor myl3oy Xury^ and the long boat
with the (houlder of mutton fail, with which I failed
above a thoufand miles on the coaft of Africa ; but
this was in vain. Then I thought I would go and
look on our fhip's boat, which, as I have faid, was-
blown up upon the Ihore^ a great way in the ftorm,
when we were firft caft away. She lay almoft where
flie did at firft, but not quite ; and was turned by the
force of the waves and the winds, almoft bottom
upwards, againft the high ridge of a beachy rough
fand, but no water about her as before.

If I had had hands to have refitted her, and have
launched her into the water, the boat would have

done

158 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

done well enough, and I might have gone back into
the Brafils with her eafy enough ; but I might have
eafily forefeen, that I could no more turn her, and
fet her upright upon her bottom, than I could remove
the ifland. However I went to the wood, and cut
leavers and rollers, and brought them to the boat,
refolving to try what I could do ; (uggefling to my-
felf, that if I could but turn her down, I might
eafily repair the damage flie had received, and fhe
would bd a very good boat, and I might go to fea in
her very eafily.

I fpared no pains indeed in this piece of fruitlefs toil,
and fpent, I think, three or four weeks about it : at
laft finding it impoflible to heave it up with my little
ftrength, I fell to digging away the fand to under-
mine it ; and fo to make it fall down, fetting pieces
of wood to thruft and guide it right in the fall.

But when I had done this, I was unable to ftir it
Up again, or to get under it, much lefs to move it
forwards towards the water ; fo I was forced to give
it over : and yet, though . 'I. gave over the hopes of
the boat, my defire to venture over for the main
increafed, rather than decteafed, as the means for it
feemed impofTible.

This at length fet me upon thinking whether it was
not pofEble to make myfelf a canoe or pcriagua, fuch
as the natives of thofe climates make, even without
tools, or as I might fay, without hands, viz. of the
trunk of a great tree. This I not only thought
poflible, but eafy ; and pleafed myfelf extremely with
my thoughts of making it, and with my having
much more convenience for it than any of the negroes
or Indians; but not at all confidering the particular

inconveniencics

OF ROBIKSON CRUSOE. i ^^r

incdnveniencies which I lay under more than the
Indians did, viz. want of hands to move it into the
water, when it was made ; a difficulty much harder
for me to furmount than all the confequences of want
of tools could be to them : for what was it to me,
that when I had chofen a vaft tree in the woods, I
might with great trouble cut it down, if, after I might
be able with my tools to hew .and dub the out-
fide into a proper Ihape of a boat, and burn or cut
out the infide to make it hollow, fo to make a boat
of it ; if, after all this, I mufl leave it juft there where
I found it, and was not able to launch it into the
water ?

One would have thought, I could not have had
the lead refledion upon my mind of my circumftances,
while I was making my boat, but I fliould have
immediately thought how I fhould get it into the fea j
but my thoughts were fo intent upon my voyage
over the fea in it, that I never once confidered how
I fliould get it off the land j and it was really in its
own nature more eafy for me to guide it over forty-
five miles of fea, than about forty-five fathom of
land, where it lay, to fet it afloat in the water.

I went to work upon this boat the mod like a fodl
that ever man did, who had any of his fenfes awake.
1 pleafed myfelf with the defign, without determining
whether I was ever able to undertake it ; not but that
the difficulty of launching my boat came often into
my head ; but I put a ftop to my own inquiries into
it by this foolifli anfwer, which I gave myfelf; Let
me firft make it, FU warrant FU find fome way or
other to get it along, when it is done*

This

t6o LIFE AND ADVENTURES

This was a moft- prepofterous method ; but the
eagernefs of my fancy prevailed, and to work I went,
;md felled a cedar-tree: I queftion much whether
Solomon ever had fuch an ,one for the building the
temple of yerufa/em. ; it was five feet ten inches dia-
meter at the lower part next the flump, and four feet
eleven inches diameter at the end of twenty-two feet,
after which it leffened for a while, and then parted
into branches : It was not without infinite labour
that I felled this tree : I was twenty days hacking
and hewing at it at the bottom ; I was fourteen more
getting the branches and limbs, and the vafl fpread-
ing head of it cut off, which I hacked and hewed
through with my axe and hatchet, with inexpreflible
labour: after this it cofl me a month to Ihape it,
and dub it to a proportion, and to fomething like the
bottom of a boat, that it might fwim upright as it
ought to do. It coft me near three months more to
clear the infide, and work it out fo as to make an
exa£t boat of it:' this I did indeed without fire, by
mere mallet and chifTel, and by the dint of hard
labour ; till I had brought it to be a very handfome
periagita^ and big enough to have carried fix-and-
twenty men, and confequently big enough to have
carried me and all my cargo*

When I had gone through this work, I was
extremely delighted with it : the boat was really
much bigger than I ever faw a canoe or periagua^
that was made of one tree, in my life ; many a weary
ftroke it had coft, you may be fure, for there
remained nothing but to get it into the water j and
had I gotten it into the water, I make no queftion
tut I fhould have begun the maddeft voyage, and the
3 moft

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. . l6l

moft unlikely to be performed, that ever was under-
taken.

But all my devices to get it into the water failed
me, though they coft infinite labour too ; it lay
about one hundred yards from the water, and not
more; but the firft inconvenience was, it was up
hill towards the creek: Well, to take away this
difcouragement, I refolved to dig into the furface of
the earth, and fo make a declivity ; this I began,
and it coft me a prodigious deal of pains : but who
grudge pains, that have their deliverance in view ?
But when this was worked through, and this diffi-
culty managed, it was ftill much at one; for I could
no more ftir the canoe, than I could the other boat.

Then I meafured the diftance of ground, and re-
folved to cut a dock, or canal, to bring the water
up to the canoe, feeing I could not bring the canoe
down to the water : Well, I began this work, and
when I began to enter into it, and calculated how
deep it was to be dug, how broad, how the ftuff to
be thrown out, I found, that by the number of hands
I had, being none but my own, it muft have been
ten or twelve years before I fliould have gone through
with it ; for the fhore lay high, fo that at the upper
end it muft have been at leaft twenty feet deep ; fo
at length, though with great reluftancy, I gave this
attempt over alfo.

This grieved me heartily; and now I faw, though
too late, the folly of beginning a work before we
count the coft, and before we judge rightly of our
own ftrength to go through with it.

In the middle of this work I finiftied my fourth
year in this place, and kept my anniverfary with the

Vol. I. M fame

tSd LIFE AND ADVENTURES

fame devotion, and with as much comfort, as ever
before ; for by a conftant ftu&y, and ferious applica-
tion of the word of God, and by the afSftance of his
grace, I gained a different knowledge from what I
had before j I entertained different notions of things;
I looked now upon the world as a thing remote;
which I had nothing to do with, no expefkation
from, and indeed no defires about: in a word, I
had nothing indeed to do with it, nor was ever like
to have ; fo I thought it looked, as we may perhaps
look upon it hereafter ; viz. as a place I had lived
in, but was come out of it; and well I might fay,
as father Abraham to Dives^ Between me and thee
there is a great gulph fixed.

In the firft place, I was removed from all the
wickednefs of the world here: I had neither the
luft of the flefh, the luft of the eye, or the pride of
life : I had nothing to covet, for I had all I was now
capable of enjoying : I was lord of the whole manor,
or, if I pleafed, I might cajl myfelf king or emperor
over the whole country which I had poffeflion of :
there were no rivals : I had no competitor, none to
difpute fovereignty or command with me ; I might
have raifed fhip-loadings of 'corn, but I bad no ufe
for it ; fo I let as little grow as I thought enough for
my occafion : I had tortoifes, or turtles enough ; but
now and then one was as much as I could put to
any ufe : I had timber enough to have built a fleet
of fhips ; I had grapes enough to have made wine,
or to have cured into raifins, to have loaded that
fleet when they had been built.

But all I could make ufe of, was all that was valu-
able : I had enough to eat, and to fupply my wants,

and

OF ROBIMSON CRUSOE. 163

land what was all the reft to me? If I killed more
flefli than I could eat, the dog muft eat it, or the
vermin ; if I fowed more corn than I could eat, it
muft be fpoiled : The trees that I cut down were
lying to rot on the ground, I could make no more
ufe of them thaii for fuel ; and that I had no occafion
for, but to drefs my food.

In a word, the nature and experience of things
dictated to me, upon juft reflexion, that all the good
things of this world are no farther good to us, than as
they are for our ufe : and that whatever we may heap
up indeed to give to others, we enjoy as much as we
can ufe^ and no more. The moft covetous griping
mifer in the world would have been cured of the vice
of Govetoufnefs, if he had been in my cafe ; for I
poffeffed infinitely more than I knew what to do with.
I had no room for defire, except it was of things
which I had not, and they were but trifles, though
indeed of great ufe to me* I had, as I hinted before,
a parcel of money, as well gold as filver, about thirty-
fix pounds fterlihg ; alas! there the nafty, forry, ufe-
lefs ftuff lay; I had no manner of bufinefs for it; and I
often thought with myfelf, that I would have given
an handful of it for a groce of tobacco-pipes, or for an
nand-mill to grind my corn ; nay, I would have givoi
it all for fix-penny worth bf turnip and carrot feed out
oi England^ or for an handful of peas and beans, and
a bottle of ink : a^ it was, I had not the leaft advan-
tage by it, or benefit from it ; but there it lay in a
drawer, and grew mouldy with the damp of the cave,
in the wet feafon ; and if I had had the drawer full of
diamonds, it had been the fame cafe ; and they had
been of no manner of value to me^ becaufe of no ufe.

M ^ I had

1^4 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

I had now brought my ftate of life to be much eafier
in itfelf than it was at firft, and much eafier to my
mind, as well as to my body. I frequently fat down
to my meat with thankfulnefs, and admired the hand
of GoD*s providence, which had thus fpread my table
in the wildernefs : I learned to look more upon the
bright fide of my condition, and lefs upon the dark
fide; and to confider what I enjoyed, rather than
what I wanted ; and this gave me fometimes fuch
fecret comforts, that I cannot exprefs them; and
which I take notice of here, to put thofe difcontented
people in mind of it, who cannot enjoy comfortably
what God hath given them, becaufe they fee and
covet fomething that he has not given them : all our
difcontents about what we want, appeared to me to
fpring from the want of thankfulnefs for what we have.

Another reflexion was of great ufe to me, and
doubtlefs would be fo to any one that fhould fall into
fuch diftrefs as mine was ; and this was, ta compare
my prefent condition with what I at firft expefted it
fhould be ; nay, with what it would certainly have
been, if the good providence of God had not won-
derfully ordered the fhip to be caft up near to the
fhore, where I not only could come at her, but could
bring what I got out of her to the fhore for my relief
and comfort ; without which I had wanted tools to
work, weapons for defence, or gunpowder and ihot
for getting my food.

I fpent whole hours, I may fay whole days, in re-
prefenting to myfelf in the moft lively colours, how
I muft have afted, if I had got nothing out of the
fhip ; how I could not have fo much as got any food,
except fifh and turtles j and that, as it was long before

I found

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 65

I found any of them, I mull have periflied firft : that
I Ihould have lived, if I had not perilhed, like a mere
favage : that if I had killed a goat or a fowl by any
contrivance, I had no way to flay or open them, or
part the flefli from the fkin and the bowels, or to cut
it tip ; but muft gnaw it with my teeth, and pull it
with my claws, like a beaft.

Thefe refleftions made me very fenfible of the
goodnefs of Providence to me, and very thankful
for my prefent condition, with all its hardfhips and
misfortunes : and this part alfo I cannot but recom-
mend to the refleftion of thofe who are apt in their
mifery to fay. Is any affliftion like mine ? Let them
confider, how much worfe the cafes of fome people
are, and what their cafe might have been, if Provi-
dence had thought fit.

I had another refledion which afllfted me alfo to
comfort my mind with hopes ; and this was, com-
paring my prefent condition with what I had de-
ferved, and had therefore reafon to expedt from
the hand of Providence ; I had lived a dreadful life,
perfectly deftitute.of the knowledge and fear of God:
I had been well inftru<^ed by my father and mother ;
neither had they been wanting to me in their early
endeavours, to infufe a religious awe of Goo into my
mind, a fenfe of my duty, and of what the nature
and end of my being required of me : But, alas !
falling early into the feafaring life, which of all the
lives is the moft deftitute of the fear of God, though
his terrors are always before them; I fay, falling
early into the feafaring life, and into feafaring com-p
pany, all that little fenfe of religion which I had en-
tertained, was laughed out of me by my meffmates;

M 3 by

1 66 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

by an hardened defpifmg of dangers, and the views
of death, which grew habitual to me ; 'by my long
abfence from all manner of opportunities to converfc
with any thing but what was like myfelf, or to hear
any thing of what was good, or tended towards it.

So void was I of every thing that was good, oj- of
the lead fenfe of what I was, or was to be, that in
the greateft deliverance I enjoyed, fuch as my efcape
from SalleCy my being taken up by the Portuguefe
mafter of the fhip, my being planted fo well in Bra^
Jtlj my receiving the cargo from England^ and the
like, I never once had the words Thank God, fa
much as on my mind, or in my mouth ; nor in the
greateft diftrefs, had I fo much thought as to pray
to him J nor fo much as to fay. Lord have mercy
upon me ! No, not to mention the name of Gor^
unlefs it was to fwear by, and blafpheme it.

I had terrible reflections upon my mind for many
months, as I have already obferved, on the account
of my wicked and hardened life paft ; and wfeen I
looked about me, and confidered what particular
Providences bad attended me, fince my coming into
this place, and how God had dealt bountifully with
me ; had not only puniftied me lefs than my iniquity
deferved, but had fo plentifully provided for me;
this gave me great hopes that my repentance ws^
accepted, and that Qqii had yet mercies in ftore fojr
me.

With thefe reflexions I worked my mind up, not
only to refignation to the will of God in the prefent
difpofition of my circumftances, but even to a fincere
thankfulnefs of my condition ; and that I, who was
yet a living man, ought not to compli^n, feeing I
4 fea^

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 167

had not the due punifliment of my fins ; that I
enjoyed fo many mercies, which I had no reafon to
have expeOied in that place ; that I ought never more
to repine at my condition, but to rejoice, and to give
daily thanks, for that daily bread which nothing
but a cloud of wonders could have brought : that
I ought to confider I had been fed even by a miracle,
even as great as that of feeding Elijah by ravens ; nay,
by a long feries of miracles ; and that I could hardly
have named a place in the uninhabited part of the
world, where I could have been caft more to my
advantage : a place, where as I had no fociety, which
was my affliftion on one hand, fo I found no raven-
ous beafts, no furious wolves or tygers, to threaten
my life; no venomous creatures, or poifonous, which
I might have fed on to my hurt; no favages to murder
and devour me.

In a word, as my life was a life of forrow one
way, fo it was a life of mercy another : and I wanted
nothing to make it a life of comfort, but to be able
to make my fenfe of God's goodnefs to me, and care
over me in this condition, be my daily confolation ;
and after I made a juft improvement of thefe things,
I weiit away, and was no more fad.

I had now been here fo long, that many things
which I brought on fliore for my help, were either
quite gone, or very much wafted, and near fpent.

My ink, as I obferved, had been gone for fome
time, all but a very little, which I eked out with wa*
ter a little and a little, till it was fo pak it fcarce left
any appearance of black upon the paper : as long as
it lafted, I made ufe of it to minute down the days
of the month on which any remarkable thing hap-»

?^ 4 pened

\
^

1 68 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

pened to me; and fir ft, by cafting up times paft, I
remember that there was a ftrange concurrence of
days, in the various providences which befel me,
and which, if I had been fuperfticioufly inclined to
obferve days as fatal or fortunate, I might have had
reafon to have looked upon with a great deal of
curiofity.

Firft, I had obferved, that the fame day that I
broke away from my father and my friends, and ran
away to Hull in order to go to fea, the fame day
afterwards I was taken by the Sallee man of war, and
made a flave.

The fame day of the year that I efcaped out of the
wreck of that fliip in Yarmouth Roads ^ that fame day
of the year afterwards I made my efcape from Sallee
in the boat.

The fame day of the year I was born on, viz. the
2oth of September^ the fame day I had my life fo mi-
raculoufly faved 26 years after, when I was caft on
fliore in this ifland ; fo that my wicked life, and foli-
tary life^ both began on a day.

The next thing to my ink's being wafted, was that
of my bread, I mean the bifcuit which I brought out
of the fhip : This I had huftjanded to the laft degree,
allowing myfelf but one cake of bread a day, for
above a year : and yet I was quite without bread for
a year before I got any corn of my own ; and great
reafon I had to be thankful that I had any at all, the
getting it being, as has been already obferved, next
to miraculous.

My clothes too began to decay mightily : as to
linen, I had none a good while, except fome che-
quered ftiirts which I found in the chefts of the other

feamen.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 69

feamen, and which I carefully preferved, becaufe
many times I could bear no other clothes on but a
fliirt; and it was a very great help to me, that I
had among all the men's clothes of the fhip almoft
three dozen of fhirts. There were alfo feveral thick
watch-coats of the feamen, which were left behind,
but they were too hot to wear; and though it is
true, that the weather was fo violent hot, that these
was no need of clothes, yet I could not go quite
naked ; no, though I had been inclined to it, which
I was not; nor could I abide the thoughts of it,
though I was all alone.

One reafon why I could not go quite naked, was,
I could not bear the heat of the fun fo well when
quite naked, as with fome clothes on ; nay, the very
heat frequently bliftered my (kin ; whereas, with a
fhirt on, the air itfelf made fome motion, and whift-
ling under the fhirt, was twofold cooler than without
it : no more could I ever bring myfelf to go out in
the heat of the fun without a cap or an hat ; the heat
of the fun beating with fuch violence as it does in that
place, would give me the head-ach prefently, by
darting fo direftly on my head, without a cap or
liat on, fo that I could not bear it ; whereas, if I
put on my hat, it would prefently go away.

Upon thefe views I began to conlider about putting
the few rags I had, which I called clothes, into fome
order ; I had worn out all the waiftcoats I had, and
my bufinefs was now to try if I could not make
jackets out of the great watch-coats which I had by
me, and with fuch other materials as I had ; fo I fet
to work a-tayloring, or rather indeed a-botching;
for I made moft piteous work of it. However, I

made

170 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

made ftiift to make two or three waiftcoats, which I
hoped would ferve me a great while ; as for breeches
or drawers, I made but very forry fhift indeed, till
afterwards.

I have mentioned that I faved the Ikins of all the
creatures that I killed, I mean four-footed ones ; and
I had hung them up ftretched out with fticks in the
fun ; by which means fome of them were fo dry and
hard, that they were fit for little ; but others, it
feems, were very ufeful. The firft thing I made of
thefe was a great cap for my head ; with the hair on
the outfide to fhoot off the rain ; and this I performed
fo well, that after this I made a fuit of clothes wholly
of thofe Ikins ; that is to fay, a waiftcoat and breechea
open at the knees, and both loofe ; for they were
rather wanted to keep me cool, than to keep me
warm. I muft not omit to acknowledge, that they
were wretchedly made ; for if I was a bad carpenter^
I was a worfe taylor : however, they were fuch as I
made a very good Ihift with ; and when I was abroad,
if it happened to rain, the hair of the waiftcoat and
cap being outmoft, I was kept very dry.

After this I fpent a deal of time and pains to make
me an umbrella : I was indeed in great want of
one, and had a great mind to make one : I had feen
them made in the Braftls^ where they are very ufeful
in the great heats which are there ; and I felt the
heats every jot as great here, and greater too, being
nearer the equinox; befides, as I was obliged to be
much abroad, it was a moft ufeful thing to me, as
well for the rains as the heats. I took a world of
pains at it, and was a great while before I could
make any thing likely to hold ; nay, after I thought;

I had

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I7I

I had hit the way, I fpoiled two or three before I
made one to my mind j but at lail I made one that
anfwered indifferently well; the main difficulty I
found was to make it to let down. I could make it
to fpread ; but if it did not let down too, and draw
in, it would not be portable for me any way, but juft
over my head, which would not do : However, at
laft, as I faid, I made one to anfwer ; I covered it
with fkins, the hair upwards, fo that it caft off the
rain like a pent-houfe, and kept off the fun fo effec-
tually, that I could walk out in the hottefl of the
weather, with greater advantage than I could before
in the cooleft j and when I had no need of it, I could
clofe it, and carry it under my arm.

Thus I lived mighty comfortably, my mind being
entirely compofed by refigning to the will of God,
and throv/ing myfelf wholly upon the difpofal of his
Providence : this made my life better than fociable ;
for when I began to regret the want of converfation,
I would afk myfelf, whether thus converfmg mutually
with my own thoughts, and, as I hope, I may fay,
with even my Maker, by ejaculations and petitions,
was not better than the utmoft enjoyment of human
fociety in the world ?

I cannot fay, that after this, for five years, any
extraordinary thing happened to me ; but I lived on
in the fame courfe, in the fame pofture and place
juft as before : the chief thing I was employed in,
befides my yearly labour of planting my barley and
rice, and curing my raifins, of both which J always
Kept up juft enough to have fufiicient ftock of the
year's provifions before-hand; I fay, befides this
yearly labour, and my daily labour of going out

with

ly^ LIFE AND ADVENTURES ,

with my gun, I had one labour to make me a canoe,
which at laft I finiftied : fo that by digging a canal to
it, fix feet wide, and four feet deep, I brought it into
the creek, almofl half a mile. As for the firft, that
was fo vaftly big, as I made it without confidering
beforehand, as I ought to do, how I fhould be able
to launch it ; fo never being able to bring it to the
water, or bring the water to it, I was obliged to let ^
it lie where it was, as a memorandum to teach me
to be wifer next time. Indeed the next time, though
I could not get a tree proper for it, and was in a
place where I could not get the water to it, at any
lefs diftance than, as I have faid, of near half a mile ;
yet as I faw it was prafticable at laft, I never gave it
over ; and though I was near two years about it, yet
I never grudged my labour, in hopes of having a
boat to go off to fea at laft.

However, though my little periagua was finifhed,
yet the fize of it was not at all anfwerable to the
defign which I had in view, when I made the firft.;
I mean of venturing over to the terra jirma^ where
it was above forty miles broad; accordingly, the
fmallnefs of my boat affifted to put an end to that
defign, and now I thought no more of it : But as I
had a boat, my next defign was to make a tour round
the ifland ; but as I had been on the other fide, in one
place, croffmg, as I have already defcribed it, over
the land, fo the difcoveries I made in that journey
made me very eager to fee the other parts of the
coaft ; and now I had a boat, I thought of nothing
but failing round the ifland.

For this purpofe, and that I might do every thing
with difcretion and confideration, I fitted up a little

maft

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I73

maft to my boat, and made a fail to it out of fome
of the pieces of the Ihip's fails, which lay in ftore,
and of which I had a great ftore by me.

Having fitted my maft and fail, and tried the
boat, I found fhe would fail very well: Then I
made little lockers and boxes at each end of my
boat, to put provifions, neceffaries, and ammunition^
&c. into, to be kept dry, either from rain, or the
fpray of the fea; and a little long hollow place I
cut in the infide of the boat, where I could lay my
gun, making a flap to hang down over it to keep it
dry.

I fixed my umbrella alfo in a ftep at the ftern, like
a maft, to ftand over my head, and keep the heat
of the fun oflf me, like an awning ; and thus I every
now and then took a little voyage upon the fea, but
never went far out, nor far from the little creek;
but at laft, being eager to view the circumference of
my little kingdom, I refolved upon my tour, and
accordingly I 'viftualled my fhip for the voyage;
putting in two dozen of my loaves (cakes I ihould
rather call them) of barley-bread ; an earthen pot
full of parched rice, a food I eat a great deal of j a
little bottle of rum, half a goat, and powder with
Ihot for killing more, and two large watch-coats, of
thofe which, as I mentioned before, I had faved out
of the feamen's chefts ; thefe I took, one to lie upon,
and the other to cover me in the night.

It was the fixth of November^ in the fixth year of
my reign, or my captivity, which you pleafe, that I
fet out on this voyage, and I found it much longer
than I expefted : for though the ifland itfelf was not
very large, yet when I came to the eaft fide of it, I

found

174 ^I^JS AND ADVENTURE^

fbuiid a great ledge of rocks lie out about two leagues
into the fea, fotne above water^ fome under It ; and
beyond this a fhoal of fand, lying dry half a league
more ; fo that I was obliged to go a great way out
to fea to double that point*

When I firft difcovered them j I wks going to give
over my enterprize, and come back again, not know-
ing how far it might oblige me to go out to fea^ and
above all, doubting how I ihould get back again ; fo
I came to an anchor, for I had made me a kind of an
anchor with a piece of broken grappling which I got
out of the fhip.

Having fecured my boat, I took my gun, and
went on fhore, climbing up an hill, which feemed
to overlook that point, where I faw the full extent
of it, and refolved to venture.

In my viewing the fea from that hill where t (iood,
I perceived a ftrong^ and indeed, a moft furious cur-
rent, which ran to the eaft, even came clofe to the
point ; and I took the more notice of it, becaufe I
faw there might be fome danger, that when I came
into it, I might be carried out to fea by the ftrength
of it, and not be able to make the ifland again : And
indeed, had I not gotten firft upon this hill, I believe
it would have been fo ; for there was the fame cur-
rent on the other fide of the ifland, only that it fet
it off at a farther diftance ; and I faw there was a
ftroiig eddy under the Ihore 5 fo I had nothing to do
but to get out of the firft current, and I fhould pre-
fently be in an eddyi

I lay here, however, two days j becaufe the wind
blowing pretty frefh (E. at S. E. and that being juft
contrary to the faid current) made a great breach of

the

t>v ROBINSON CRUSOE* iys

f

tile fea upon the point ; fo that it was not fafe for
me to keep too clofe to the Ihore for the breach, nor
to go too far off becaufe of the ftream.

The third day in the morning, the wind having
abated over nigjit, the fea was calm, and I ventured ;
but I am a warning-piece again to all rafli and ignorant
pilots ; for no fooner was I come to the point, when
I was not my boat's length from the Ihore, but
I found myfelf in a great depth of water, and a
current like the fluice of a mill : It carried my boat
along with it with fuch violence, that all I could do
could not keep her fo much as on the edge of it : but
I found it hurried me farther and farther out from the
eddy, which was on the left hand. There was no
wind ftirring to help me, and all that I could do with
my paddles fignified nothing ; and now I began to
give myfelf over for loft ; for, as the current was on
both fides the ifland, I knew in a few leagues diftance
they muft join again, and then I was irrecoverably
gone ; nor did I fee any poflibility of avoiding it : fo
that I had no profpeft before me but of perifhing ;
not by the fea, for that was calm enough, but of
ftarving for hunger. I had indeed found a tortoife
on the fhore, as big almoft as I could lift, and had
toffed it into the boat ; and I had a great jarr of frefli
water, that is to fay, one of my earthen pots : but
what was all this to being driven into the vaft ocean;
where, to be fure, there was no fhore, no main land
or ifland, for a thoufand leagues at leaft !

And now I faw how eafy it was for the Providence
of God to make the moft miferable condition that
mankind could be in, worfe. Now I looked back
upon my defolate folitary ifland, as the moft

pleafant

176 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

pleafant place in the world, and all the happinefs my
heart could wifh for, was to be there again : I ftretched
out my hands to it with eager wifhes; O happy
defart, faid I, I fhall never fee thee more; O
miferable creature! faid I, whither am I going!
Then I reproached myfelf with my unthankful temper,
and how I had repined at my folitary condition ; and
now what would I give to be on fhore there again ?
Thus v/e never fee the true ftate of our condition,
till it is illuftrated to us by its contraries ; nor know
how to value what; we enjoy, but by the want of it :
it is fcarce pofEble to imagine the confternation I was
now in, being driven from my beloved ifland (for fa
it appeared to me now to be) into the wide ocean,
alraoll two leagues, and in the utmoll defpair of ever
recovering it again : however, I worked hard, till
indeed my ftrength was almoft exhaufted; and kept
my boat as much to the northward, tliat is,' towards
the fide of the current which the eddy lay on, as
poffibly I could ; when about noon, as the fun paffed
the meridian, I thought I felt a little breeze of wind
in my face, fpringing up from the S. S. E. This
cheared my heart a little, and efpecially when in
about half an hour more it blew a pretty fmall gentle
gale. By this time I was gotten at a frightful diftance
from the ifland ; and, had the leaft cloud or hazy
weather intervened, I had been undone another way
too; for I had no compafs on board, and fliould
never have kiK)wn how to- have fleered towards the
ifland, if I had but once loft fight of it; but the
weather continuing clear, I applied myfelf to get up
my maft again^ and fpread my fail, ftanding away
to the north as much as poflible, to get out of the
current.

01^ ROBINSON CRUSOE. I77

Juft as I had fet my mad and fail, and the boat
began to ftretch away, I faw even by the clearnefs of
the water, fome alteration of the current was near ;
for where the current was fo ftrong, the water was
foul J but perceiving the water clear, I found the
current abate, and prefently I found to the eaft, at
about half a mile, a breach of the fea upon fome
rocks; thefe rocks I found caufed the current to
part again; and as the main ftrefs of it ran away
more foutherly, leaving the rocks to the north-eaft,
fo the other returned by the repulfe of the rock, and
made a ftrong eddy, which ran back again to the
north-weft with a very fliarp ftream.

They who know what it is to have a reprieve
brought to them upon the ladder, or to be refcued
from thieves juft going to murder them, or who
have been in fuch like extremities, may guefs what
my prefent furprife of joy was, and how gladly I put
my boat into the ftream of this eddy ; and the wind
alfo frefhening,,how gladly I fpread my fail to it, run-
ning chearfuUy before the wind, and vdth a ftrong
tide or eddy under foot.

This eddy carried - me about a league in my way
back again diredly towards the ifland, but about
two leagues more towards the northward than the
current lay, which carried me away at firft; fo that
when I came near the ifland, I found myfelf open to
the northern ftiore of it, that is to fay, the other end
of the ifland, oppofite to that which I went out from.

When I had made fomething more than a league
of way by the help of this current or eddy, I found
it was fpent, and faved me no farther. However, I

Vol. I. N . found.

lyS LITE AKD ADVENTURES

found, that being between the two great currents,
vh. that on the fouth fide which had hurried me
away, and that on the north, which lay about two
leagues on the other fide ; I fay, between thefc two,
in the weft of the ifland, I found the water at leaft
ftill, and running no way j and having ftill a breeze
of wind fair for me, I kept on. fteering direftly for
the ifland, though not making fuch frefli way as I
did before.

About four o'clock in the evening, being then
within about a league of the ifland, I found the
point of the rocks which occafioned this diftance,
ftretching out as is defcribed before, to the fouth-
ward, and, cafting oflf the current more foutherly^
had of courfe made another eddy to the north ; and
this I found very ftrong, but direftly fetting the way
my courfe lay, which was due weft, but almoft full
north. However, having a frefli gale, I ftretched
acrofs this eddy, flanting north-weft, and in about aix
hour came within about a mile of the fliore, where,
it being fmooth water, I foon got to land.

When I was on fliore, I fell on my knees, and
gave God thanks for my deliverance, refolving to
lay afide all thoughts of my deliverance by my boat;
and rcfrefliing myfelf with fuch things as I had, I
brought my boat clofe to the fliore, in a little cove
that I had efpied under fome trees, and laid me
down to fleep, being quite fpent with the labour and
fatigue of the voyage.

I was now at a great lofs which way to get home
with my boat ; I had run fo much hazard, and knew
too much the cafe to think of attempting it by the

way

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 79

way I went out ; and what might be at the other fide
(I mean the weft fide) I knew not, nor had I any
mind to run any more ventures } fo I only refolved
in the morning to make my way weftward along the
fliore, and to fee if there was no creek where I might
lay up my frigate in fafety, fo as to have her again if
I wanted her. In about three miles, or thereabouts,
coafting the fhore, I came to a very good inlet, or
bay, about a mile over, which narrowed till it came
to a very little rivulet, or brook, where I found a
convenient harbour for my boat, and where (he lay
as if fhe had been in a little dock made on purpofe
for her ; here I put in, and having flowed my boat
very fafe, I went on fhore to look about me, and fee
where I was.

I foon found I had but a little paflTed by the place
where I had been before when I travelled on foot to
that fhore ; fo taking nothing out of my boat but my
gun and my umbrella, for it was exceeding hot, I
began my march : the way was comfortable enough
after fuch a voyage as I had been upon, and I reached
my old bower in the evening, where I found every
thing ftanding as I left it ; for I always kept it in
good order, being, as I faid before, my country-
houfe.

I got over the fence, and laid me down in the
fhade to reft my limbs, for I *was very weary, and
fell afleep : but judge you, if you can, that read my
ftory, what a furprife I mufl be in, when I was
awaked out of my fleep by a voice calling me by my
name feveral times,/ Robin^ Robin, Robin Crufoej
poor Robin Crufoe ! Where are you, Robin Crufoe?
Where are you ? Where have you been ?

N 2 ^ I was

l8a LIFB AND ADVENTURES

I was. fo dead afleep at firft, being fatigued with
rowing, or paddling, as it is called, the firft part of
the day, and walking the latter part, that I did not
awake thoroughly ; and dozing between fleeping and
waking, thought I dreamed that fomebody fpoke to
me: but as the voice continued to repeat Robin
Crufoe^ Robin Crufoe^ at laft I began to awake
more perfedly, and was at firft dreadfully frighted,
and ftarted up in the utmoft confternation : but no
fooner were my eyes open, but I faw my Roll fitting
on the top of the hedge, and immediately knew that
this was he that fpoke to me ; for juft in fuch be-
moaning language I had ufed to talk to him, and
teach him ; and he had learned It fo perfedly, that
he would fit upon my finger, and lay his bill clofe
to my face, and cry. Poor Robin CrufoCy Where
are you ? Where have you been ? How: came you
here ? — and fuch things as I had taught him.

However, even though I knew it was the parrot,
and that indeed it could be nobody elfe, it was a good
while before I could compofe myfelf. Firft, I was
amazed how the creature got thither, and then how
hefhouldjuft keep about the place, and no where'
elfe : but as I was well fatisfied it could be nobody
but honeft Poll^ I got it over ; and holding out my
hand, and calling him by his name, Poll^ the focia-
ble creature came to me, and fat upon my thumb,
as he ufed to do, and continued talking to me. Poor
Robin Crufoej and, how did I come here? and,
where had I been? juft as if he had been ' overjoyed
to fee nie again ; and fo I carried him home along
with me.

Ihad

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. l8l

I had now had enough of rambling to fca for fome
time, and had enough to do for many days to fit.ftill,
and refleO: upon the danger I had been in : I would
have been very glad to have had my boat again on
my fide of the ifland, but I knew not how it was
pradicable to get it about : as to the eaft-fide of the
ifland, which I had gone round, I knew well enough
there was no venturing that way ; my very heart
would fhrink, and my very blood run chill, but to
think of it : and to the other fide of the ifland, I did
not know how it might be there ; but fuppofing the
current ran with the fame force againft the fliore at
the eaft, as it paflfed by it on the other, 1 might run
the fame rifque of being driven down the ftream, and
carried by the ifland, as I had been before of being
carried away from it : fo with thefe thoughts I con-
tented myfelf to be without any boat, though it had
been the produft of fo many months labour to make
it, and of fo many more to get it into the fea.

In this government of my temper I remained near
a year, lived a very fedate retired life, as you may
well fuppofe; and my thoughts being very much
compofed, as to my condition, and fully comforted
in refigning myfelf to the difpofitions of Providence,
I thought I lived really very happily in all things,
except that of fociety.

I improved myfelf, in this time, in all the mechanic
exercifes which my nieceflities put me upon applying
myfelf to ; and I believe could, upon occafion, have
made a very good carpenter, efpecially confidering
how few tools I had,

Befides this, I arrived at an unexpeded perfeftion
in my earthen ware, and contrived well enough to

N 3 make

X82 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

make thfcm with a wheel, which I found infinitely
cafier and better ; becaufe I made things round and
Ihapeable, which before were filthy things indeed to
look on. But I think I never was more vain of my
own performance, or more joyful for any thing I
found out, than for my being able to make a
tobacco-pipe ; and though it was a very ugly clumfy
thing when it was done, and only burnt red like other
earthen-ware, yet as it was hard and firm, and would
draw the fmoke, I was exceedingly comforted with
it ; for I had been always ufed to fmoke, and there
were pipes in the fhip, but I forgot them at firft, not
knowing there was tobacco in the ifland j and after-
wards, when I fearched the fhip again, I could not
come at any pipes at all.

In my wicker- ware I alfo improved much, and
made abundance of neceffary bafkets, as well as my
invention fhewed me, though not very handfome,
yet convenient for my laying things up in, or fetcK-*
ing things home in. For example, if I killed a goat
abroad, I could hang it up in a tree, flay it, and
drefs it, and cut it in pieces, and bring it home in a
bafket ; and the like by a turtle ; I could cut it up,
take out the eggs, and a piece or two of the flefli,
which was enough for me, and bring them home in
a ba{ket, and leave the reft behind me : alfo large
deep balkets were my receivers for my corn, which I
always rubbed out as foon as it was dry, and cured j
and kept it in great balkets inftead of a granary.

I began now to perceive my powder abated con-
fiderably; and this was a want which it was im-
poffible for me to fupply: then I began ferioufly to
confider what I muft do wh^n I ftiould have no more

powder i

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 183.

powder ; that is to fay, how I fliould do to kill any
goats. I had, as I obferved, in the third year of my
being here, kept a young kid, and bred her tame ;
I was in hopes of getting an he kid, but I could not
by any means bring it to pafs, till my kid grew an
old goat ; and I could never find in my heart to kill
her,^ till fhe died at laft of mere age*

But being now in the eleventh year of my refidence,
ami, as I have faid, my ammunition growing low, I
fct myfelf to ftudy fome art to trap and fnare the goats,
to fee whether I could not catch fome of them alive ;
and particularly I wanted a fhe-goat great with young.

To this purpofe I made fnares to hamper them ;
and believe they were more than once taken in them;
but my tackle was not good, for I had no wire, and
always found them broken, and my bate devoured.

At length I refolved to try a pit-fall ; fo I dug
feveral large pits in the earth, in places where I had
obfen^ed the goats ufed to feed, and over thefe pits
I placed hurdles of my own making too, with a great
weight upon them ; and feveral times I put ears of
barley, and dry rice, without fetting the trap ; and
I could eafily perceive that the goats had gone in,
and eaten up the corn, that I could fee the mark of
their feet : at length, I fet three traps in one night,
and going the next morning, I found them all ftand-«
ing, and yet the bait eaten and gone : this was very
difcouraging ; however, I altered my trap ; and, not
to trouble you with particulars, going one morning
^ to fee my traps, I found in one of them a large old
he-goat ; and, in one of the other, three kids, a
male and two females.

As to the old one, I knew not what to do with
bifn J he was fo fierce I durft not go into the pit to

N 4 him J

ti8f4 l.r?E AND ADVENTURES

him ; that is to fay, to go about to bring him away
^live, which was what I wanted ; I could have killed
him, but that was not my bufmefs, nor would it
anfwer my end ; fo I e'en let him out, and he ran
away as if he had been frightened out of his wits ;
but I did not then know what I afterwards learned,
that hunger would tame a lion : if I had let him flay
there three or four days without food, and then have
Carried him fome water to drink, and then a little
corn, he would have been as tame as one of the
kids ; for they are mighty fagacious, traftable crea*
tures, where they are well ufed.

However, for the prefent I let him go, knowing
no better at that time; then I went to the three
kids ; and taking them one by one, I tied them with
ftrings together ; and with fome difficulty brought
them all home.

It was a good while before they would feed ; but
throwing them fome fweet corn, it tempted them,
and they began to be tame ; and now I found, that
if I expefted to fupply myfelf with goats-flefh, when
1 had no powder or fhot left, breeding fome up tame
was my only way, when perhaps I might have then^
about my houfe like a flock of fh^ep,

But then it prefently occurred to me, that I muft
keep the tame from the wild, or elfe they would
always run wild when they grew up ; and the only
way for this was to have fome inclofed piece of
ground, well fenced either with hedge or pale, tQ
keep them up fo efFeftually, that thofe within might
|ipt break out, or thofe without break in.
,^ This was a great undertaking for one pair of hands j
yet as I faw there was an abfolute neceffity of doing
it, xjiy firft piece of work was to find out a proper

pi^cQ

OF ROBIKSON CRUSO£. I&J

piece of ground; viz. where there was likely to be
herbage for them to eat, water for them to drink^
and cover to keep them from the fun. "^

Thofe who underftand fuch inclofures, will think
I had very little contrivance, when I pitched upon a
place very proper for all thefe, being a plain open
piece of meadow-land or favanna (as our people call
it in the weftern colonies) which had two or three
little drills of frefh water in it, and at one end was
very woody ; I fay they will fmile at my forecaft,
when I fliall tell them I began my inclofmg of this
piece of ground in fuch a manner, that my hedge, or
pale, muft have been at leaft two miles about ; nor
was the madnefs of it fo great as to the compafs ; for
if it was ten miles about, I was like to have time
enough to do it in ; but I did not confider, that my
goats would be as wild in fo much compafs, as if
they had had the whole ifland ; and I Ihould have fo
much room to chafe them in, that I fhould never
catch them.

My hedge was began and carried on, I believe,
about fifty yards, when this thought occurred to mej
fo I prefently flopped fliort, and for the firft begin,
ning 1 refolved to inclofe a piece of about 1 50 yards
in length, and xoo yards in breadth, which as it
would maintain as many as I Ihould have in any rea-
fonable time, fo, as my flock increafed, I could add
ynore ground to my inclofure.

This was ading with fome prudence, and I went
to work with courage : I was about three months
hedging in the firft piece ; and, till I had done it, I
tethered the three kids in the beft part of it, and ufed
them to feed as near me as poflible, to make them
iamiliar ; and very often I would go and carry them

4 fome

' i86 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

fome ears of barley, or an handful of rice, and feed
them out of my hand ; fo that after my inclofure was

• finilhed, and I let them loofe, they would follow me
up and down, bleating nfter me for an handful of corn.

This anfwered my end, and in about a year and a
half I had a flock of about twelve goats, kids and all ;
and in two years more I had three-and-forty, befides
feveral that I took and killed for my food ; and after

• that I inclofed five feveral pieces of ground to feed
" 'them in, with little pens to drive them into, to take

them as I wanted them ; and gates out of one piece
of ground into another.

But this was not all ; for now I not only had goat's
flefh to feed on when I pleafed, but milk too, a thing
which indeed in my beginning I did not fo much as
think of, and which, when it came into my thoughts,
was really an agreeable furprife ; for now 1 fet up
my dairy, and had fometimes a gallon or two of milk
in a day. And as Nature, who gives fupplies of food
to every creature, diftates even naturally how to
make ufe of it ; fo I, that never milked a cow, much
lefs a goat, or faw butter or cheefe made, very
readily and handily, though after a great many eflfays
and mifcarriages, made me both butter and cheefe
' at laft, and never wanted it afterwards.

How mercifully can our great Creator treat his

'creatures, even in thofe conditions in which they

-feemed to be overwhelmed in tleftruftion ! How can

he fweeten the bittereft providences, and give us

caufe to praife him for dungeons and prifons ! What

a table was here fpread for me in a wildernefs,

• where I faw nothing at firft but to perifli for hunger !

It wouM have made a ftoic fmile, to have feen me
and my little family fit down to dinner : there, was

my

OF ROBIi^SON CRUSOE. 1 8/

my majefty, the prince and lord of the whole iHmd }
I had the lives of all my fubjefts at abfolute com-
mand J I could hang, draw, give life and liberty, and
take it away, and no rebels among all my fubjefts !

Then to fee how like a king I dined too, all alone,
attended by my fervants ! PoJy as if he had been my
favourite, as the only perfon permitted to talk to me ;
my dog, which was now grown veryoldand crazy, and
found no fpecies to multiply his kind upon, fat always
at my right-hand ; and two cats, one on one fide the
table, and one on the other, expefting now and thea
a bit from my hand, as a mark of fpecial favour.

But thefe were not the two cats which I brought
on ihore at firft j for they were both of them dead,
and had been interred near my habitation by my own
hands ; but one of them having multiplied by I know
not what kind of creature, thefe were two which I
preferved tame, whereas the reft ran wild into the
woods, and became indeed troublefome to me at
kft J for they would often come into my houfe, and
plunder me too, till at laft I was obliged to (hoot
them, and did kill a great many ; at length they left
me with this attendance, and in this plentiful man-
ner I lived ; neither could I be faid to want any
thing but fociety, and of that, in fome time after
this, I was like to have too much,

I was fomething impatient, as I had obferved, to
have the ufe of my boat, though very loth to run
any more hazard ; and therefore fometimes I fat
contriving ways to get her about the ifland, and at
other times I fat myfelf down contented enough
without her. But I had a ftrange uneafinefs in my
mind to go 4own to the point of the ifland, where,

a$

l88 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

^s I have faid in my lall ramble, I went up the hill
to fee how the fliore lay, and how the current fet,
ihat I might fee what I had to do : this inclination
increafed upon me every day ; and at length I refolved
jto travel thither by land, and following the edge of
the fliore, I did fo : but had any one in England been
to meet fuch a man as I was, it muft either have
frighted them, or raifed a great deal of laughter ;
gnd as I frequently flood ftill to look at myfelf, I
could not but fmile at the notion of my travelling
through Torkjhire with fuch an equipage, and in
fuch a drefs. Be pleafed to take a iketch of my
figure, as follows :

I had a great high fliapelefs cap, made of goat's-
ikin, with a flap hanging down behind, as well to
keep the fun from me, as to flioot the rain off from
Tunning into my neck ; nothing being fo hurtful in
thefe climates, as the rain upon the flefli under thq
clothes.

I had a fliort jacket of goat's-flvin, the flcirts coming
dov/n to about the middle of my thighs j and a pair of
open-kneed breeches of the fame : the breeches were
made of a fliin of an old he-goat, whofe hair hung
down fuch a length on either fide, that, like panta-
loons, it reached to the middle of my legs* Stockings
and ftioes I had none ; but I had made me a pair of
fomething, I fcarce knew what to call them, like
buflcins, to flap over my legs, and lace on either fide
like fpatterdaflies ; but of a mod barbarous fliape, as
indeed were all the reft of my clothes.

I had on a broad belt of goat's-flcin dried, which I
drew together with two thongs of the fame, inftead
i>f buckles J ^ and in ^ kind of a frog on either fide of

y this,

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 189

this, Inftead of a fword and dagger, hung a little faw
and a hatchet ; one on one fide, one on the other : I
had another belt not fo broad, and fattened in the
fame manner, which hung over my Ihoulder ; and
at the end of it, under my left arm, hung two
pouches, both made of goat's-fkin too ; in one of
which hung my powder, in the other my fhot : at
my back I carried my balket, on. my fhoulder my
gun, and over my head a great clunJy ugly goat*s-
Ikin umbrella, but which, after :all, was th^ moft
neceflary thing I had about me, ncjxt to my gun : as
for my face, the colour of it was really not fo Mulatto
like, as one might expeO: from a man not at all
careful of it, and living within niii e or ten degrees of
the equinox. My beard I had on( :e fuffered to grow
till it was about a quarter of a y: ird long ; but as I
had both fciflars and razors fufficient, I had cut itf
pretty fhort, except what grew on my upper lip,
which I had trimmed into a larg e pair of Mahometan
whilkers, fuch has I had feen \ vorn by fome Turks
whom I faw at Bailee : for the 1 Vloors did not wear
fuch, though the Turks did : of 1 hefe muftachios, or
whilkers, I will not fay they w ere long enough to
hang my hat upon them ; but t hey were of length
and fhape monftrous enough, an< 1 fuch as in England
would have paffed for frightfuL ^

But all this is by the bye ; foi • as to my figure, I
had fo few to obferve me, that it was of no manner
of confequence ; fo I fay no more t o that part : in this
kind of figure I went my new joi irney, and w^s out
five or fix days. I travelled firft : ilong the fea-fhore,
diredly to the place where I firft I )rought my boat to
an anchor, to get up upon the r< )cks ; and, having

no

ipo LIFE AND ADVENTURES

no boat now to take care of, I went over the land
a nearer way, to the fame height that I was upon
before; when looking forward to the point of the
rock which lay out, and which I was to double with
my boat, as I faid above, I was furprifed to fee the
fea all fmooth and quiet; no ripling, no motion,
no current, any more there than in other places.

I was at a ftrange lofs to underftand this, and re-
folved to fpehd fome time in the obferving of it, to
fee if nothing from the fets of the tide had occafioned
it: but I was prefently convinced how it was ; viz.
that the tide of ebb fetting from the weft, and join-i
ing with the current of waters from fonle great river
on the fhore, muft be the occafion of this current ;
and that according as the wind blew more forcible
from the weft, or from the north, this current came
near, or went farther from the fhore ; for, waiting
thereabouts till evening, I went up to the rock again,
and then the tide of ebb being made, I plainly faw
the current again as before, only that it ran farther
oflF, being near half a league from the fhore ; whereas
in my cafe, it fet clofe upon the fhore, and hurried
me in my canoe along with it, which at another time
it would not have done.

This obfervation convinced me, that I had nothing
to do but to obferve the ebbing and the flowing of the
tide, and I might very eafily bring my boat about
the ifland again: but when I began to think of put-
ting it in praftice, I had fuch a terror upon my fpirits
at the remembrance of the danger I had been in,
that I could not think of it again with any patience ;
but on the contrary, I took up another refolution,

which

OF HOBIKSOll CRUSOE. 191

wHch was more (afe, though more laborious ; and
this was, that I would build, or rather make me
another periagua^ or canoe ; and fo have one for
one fide of the ifland, and one for the other.

You are to underftand^ that now I had, as I may
call it, two plantations in the ifland ; one my little
fortification or tent, with the wall about it under the
rock, with the cave behind me, which by this time
I had enlarged into feveral apartments or caves, one
within another. One of thefe, which was the drieft
and largefl:, and had a door out beyond my wall or
fortification, that is to fay, beyond where my wall
joined to the rock, was all filled up with large ear-
then pots, of which I have given an accoimt, and
with fourteen or fifteen great balkets, which woiJd
hold five or fix bufliels each, where I laid up my
ftores of provifion, efpecially my com, fome in the
ear cut oflF fhort from the fl:raw, and the other rubbed
out with my hands.

As for my wall, made as before, with long ftakes
or piles, thofe piles grew all like trees, and were by
this time grown fo big, and fpread fo very much,
that there was not the leaft appearance, to any one's
view, of any habitation behind them.

Near this dwelling of mine, but a little farther
within the land, and upon lower ground, lay my
two pieces of corn ground ; which I kept duly cul-
tivated and fowed, and which duly yielded me their
harveft in its feafon : and whenever I had occafion for
more com, I had more land adjoining as fit ais
that.

Befides this, I had my country-feat, and I had now
a tolerable plantation there alfo ; for firft, I had my

little

lg2 LITE AND ADVENTURES

little bower, as I called it, which I kept in repair ;
that is to fay, I kept the hedge which circled it hr,
conftantly fitted up to its ufual height, the ladder
ftanding always in the infide ; I kept the trees, which
at firfl: were no more than my flakes, but were now
grown very firm and tall ; I kept them always fo
cut, that they might fpread and grow thick and wild,
and make the more agreeable fhade, which they did
effedually to my mind. In the middle of thi$ I had
my tent always ftanding, being a piece of a fail
fpread over poles fet up for that purpofe, and which
never wanted any impair or renewing; and under
this I had made me a fquab or couch, with the
fkins of the creatures I had killed, and with other
foft things, and a blanket laid on them, fuch as
belonged to our fea-bedding, which I had faved, and
a great watch-coat to cover me ; and here, whenever
I had occafion to be abfent from my chief feat, I took
up my country habitation.

Adjoining to this I had my inclofures for my
cattle, that is to fay, my goats : And as I had taken
an inconceivable deal of pains to fence and inclofe
this ground, I was fo uneafy to fee it kept entire,
left the goats ftiould break through, that I never left
off, till with infinite labour I had ftuck the outfide of
the hedge fo full'of fmall ftakes, and fo near to one
another, that it was rather a pale than an hedge, and
there was fcarce room to put an hand through
between them, which afterwards, when thofe ftakes
grew, as they all did in the next rainy feafon, made
the inclofure ftrong, like a wall, indeed ftronger than
any wall.

This

bS' RoBtNiSoJ^ Crusoe* tg^

*rhis "Will teftify for me that I was not idle, and
ttat I fpared no pains to bring to pafs whatever ap-
peared neceffary for my comfortable fupport ; for I
confidered the keeping up a breed of tame creatures
thus at my hand, would be a living magazine of flefh^
milk, butter and cheefe, for me, as long as I lived
in the place, if it were to be forty years ; and that
keeping them in my reach, depended entirely upon
my perfecting my inclofures to fuch a degree, that I
might be fure of keeping them together ; which by
this method indeed I fo effeftually fecured, that when
thefe little flakes began to grow, I had planted them
fo very thick, I was forced to pull fome of them up
again.

In this place alfo I had my grapes growing, which
I principally depended on for my winter (lore of rai-
fins, and which I never failed to preferye very care*
fully, as the beft and moft agreeable dainty of my
whole diet; and indeed they were not only agreeable,
but phyfical, wholefome, nourifhing and refrefhing
to the laft degree.

As this was alfo about half way between my
other habitation and the place where I had laid up
my boat, I generally ftaid and lay here in my way
thither ; for I ufed frequently to vifit my boat, and
I kept all things about or belonging to her in very
good order : fometimes I went out in her to divert
myfelf, but no more hazardous voyages would I go,
nor fcarce ever above a ftone^s cad or two from the
fhore, I was fo apprehenfive of being hurried out of
my knowledge again by the currents, or winds, or
any other accident : But now I come to a new fcene
of my life.

Vol. I. O It

194 I-IFE AND ADVENTURES

It happened one day about noon, going towards
my boat, I was exceedingly furprifed with the print
of a man's naked foot on the {hore, which was very
plain to be feen in the fand : I ftood like one thunder-
Itruck, or as if I had feen an apparition ; I liftened,
I looked round me, I could hear nothing, nor fee
any thing ; I went up to a rifing jgrbund to look
farther : I went up the fhore, and down the fhore,
but it was all one, I could fee no other impreffion
but that one: I went to it again to fee if there
were any more, and to obferve if it might not be
my fancy ; but there was no room for that, for there
was exaftly the very print of a foot, . toes, . heel, and
every part of a foot ; how it came thither I knew
not, nor could in the leaft imagine* But after in-
numerable fluttering thoughts, like a man perfectly
confufed, and out of myfelf, I came home to my
fortification, not feeling, as we fay, the ground I.
went on, but terrified to the laft degree, looking
behind, me at every two or three fteps, miftaking
every bufli and tree, and fancying every flump at a
diftance to be a man; nor is it poffible to. defcribe
how many various fhapes an affrighted imagination
reprefented things to me in ; how 'many wild ideas,
were formed every moment iri my fimCy, and what
ftrange unaccountable whimfies came into my.
thoughts by the way.

When I came to my caftle, for fo I think I called
it ever after this, 1 fled into it like one purfued;
v/hether I went over by the ladder, as firfl: contrived,
or went in at the hole in the rock, which I called a
door, I cannot remember j for never frighted hare

fled-

l7,»y^,^ ^ <;4-M..r,

(Tpyr^^J ^.JCUla^U

AM/ii/ ./m(v ^ /-at /;,■ /M/t Sfr^Ui/a/. /f.,4i./i/A .

OF ROBINSON CRtJSOE-r ig^

fled to cover, or fox to earth, with more terror o£
mind than I to this retreat.

I had no fleep that night : the farther I was from
the occafion of my fright, the greater my apprehen-
fions were ; which is foitiething contrary to the
nature of fuch things, and efpecially to the ufual
praftice of all creatures in fear : But I was fo em-
barraffed with my own frightful ideas of the thing,
that I formed nothing but difmal imaginations to
myfelf, even though I was now a great way oflF it.
Sometimes I fancied it muft be the devil j and rea-
fon joined in with me upon this fuppofition : For
how fhould any other thing in human fhape come
into the place ? Where was the veffel that brought
them ? What marks were there of any other foot-
fteps ? And how was it pofTible a man fhould come
there ? But then to think that Satan fhould take hu-
man fhape upon him in fuch a place, where there
could be no manner of occafion for it, but to leave
the print of his foot behind him, and that even fot
no purpofe too (for he could not be fure I fhould fee
it,) this was an amazement the other way : I confi-
dered that the devil might have found out abundance
of other ways to have terrified me, than this of the
lingle print of a foot : That as I lived quite on the
other fide of the ifland, he would never have been,
fo fimple to leave a mark in a place where it was ten
thoufand to one whether I fhould ever fee it or not j
and in the fand too, which the firfl furge of the fea
upon an high wind would have defaced entirely:
All this feemed inconfiflent with the thing itfelf, and
with all notions we ufually entertain of the fubtlety
of the devil.

O z Abundance

tg6 LIPZ AND ADVEHtl^Ai^

Abundance of fuch things as thefc affilled to atgne
me out of all apprehenfions of its being the devil :
And I prefently concluded that it muft be fome more
dangerous creature j vit. That it muft be fome of
the favages of the main land over againft me, who
had wandered out to fea in their canoes, and, either
driven by the currents, or by contrary winds, had
made the iiland ; and had been on fhore, but were
gone away again to fea, being as loth, perhaps, to
have ftaid in this defolate iiland, as I would have
been to have had them.

While thefe reflexions were rolling upon my
mind, I was very thankful in my thought, that I
was fo happy as not to be thereabouts at that time^
or that they did not fee my boat, by which they
would have concluded, that fome inhabitants had
been in the place, and perhaps have fearched farther
for me : Then terrible thoughts racked my imagina-
tions about their having found my boat, and that
there were people h^re ; and that if fo, I Ihould cer-
tainly have them come again in greater numbers,
and devour me; that if it fhould happen fo that
they Ihould not find me, yet they would find my
inclofure, deftroy all my corn, carry away all my
flock of tame goats, and I ihould periih at laft for
mere want.

Thus my fear baniihed all my religious hope : all
that former confidence in God, which was founded-
upon fuch wonderful experience as I had had of his-
goodnefs, now vaniihed ; as, if he that had fed me
by miracle hitherto, could not preferve by his power
the provifion which he had made for me by his
goodnefs. I reproached myfelf with my uncafinefs,

that

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. I97

that I would not fow any more corn one year, than
would juft ferve me till the next feafon, as if no
accident could intervene to prevent my enjoying the
crop that was upon the ground : And this I thought
To juft a reproof, that I refolved for the future to
have two or three years com before-hand, fo that
whatever might come, I might not perifh for want
of bread.

How ftrange a chequer-work of Providence is the
life of man 1 And by what fecret differing fprings are
the affeftions hurried about, as differing circumftances
prefent ! To-day we love what to-morrow we hate ;
to-day we feek what to-morrow we fhun ; to-day we
defire what to-morrow we fear, nay, even tremble
at the apprehenfions of. This was exemplified in me
at this time, in the moft lively manner imaginable ;
for I, whofe only affliftion was, that I feemed ba-
niflied from human fociety, that I was alone, cir-
cumfcribed by the boundlefs ocean, cut off from
mankind, and condemned to what I call a filent
life ; that I was as one whom Heaven thought not
worthy to be numbered among the living, or to
appear among the reft of his creatures ; that to have
feen one of my own fpecies, would have feemed to
me a raifing me from death to life, and the greateft
blefling that Heaven itfelf, next to the fupreme blef-
fing of falvation, could beftow ; I fay, that I fhould
now tremble at the very apprehenfions of feeing a
man^ and was ready to fink into the ground, at but
the fhadow, or filent appearance of a man's having
jfet his foot on the ifland !

Such is the uneven ftate of human life ; and it
{afforded me a great many curious fpeculations after^

O 3 wards,

198 tlPE AND ADVENTURES

wards, when I had a little recovered my firft fur*
prife : I confidered that this was the ftation of life
the infinitely wife and good providence of God had
determined for me ; that as I could not forefee what
the ends of divine wifdom might be in all this, fo I
was not to difpute his fovereignty, who, as I was his
creature, had an undoubted right, by creation, to
govern and difpofe of me abfolutely as he thought
fit ; and who, as I was a creature who had offended
him, had likewife a judicial right to condemn me to
what puniihment he thought fit j and that it was my
part to fubmit to bear his indignation, becaufe I had
finned againft him,

I then refleded, that God, who was not only righ-
teous, but omnipotent, as he had thought fit thus to
punifli and affliO: me, fo he was able to deliver me ;
that if he did not think fit to do it, it was my un^
queftioned duty to refign myfelf abfolutely and en^
tirely to his will : And, on the other hand, it was
my duty alfo to hope in him, pray to him, and qui-
etly to attend the diftates and direftions of his daily
providence.

Thefe thoughts took me up many hours, days,
nay, I may fay, weeks and months ; and one particu-
lar effeO: of my cogitations on this occafion I cannot
omit ; viz. one morning early, lying in my bed, and
filled with thoughts about my danger from the ap-
pearance of favages, I found it difcompofed me very
much ; upon which thofe words of the fcripture came
into my thoughts, Ca/l upon me in the day of trouble^
and I will deliver thee^ and thoujhalt glorify me.

Upon this, rifing chearfully out of my bed, my
heart ws^s not only comforted, but I was guided and

encouragecj

6F ROBINSON CRUSOE. I99

cncoul-aged to pray earneftly to God for deliverance :
When I had done praying, I took up my bible, and
opening it to read, the firft words that prefented to
me, were, Wait on the Lordj and be of good cheer ^ and
he Jhall Jirengthen thy heart : Wait, I fay , on the Lord.
It is impoffible to exprefs the comfort this gave me ;
and in return, I thankfully laid down the book, and
was no more fad, at leaft, not on that occafiom

In the middle of thefe cogitations, apprehenfions,
and refleftions, it came into my thoughts one day,
that all this might be a mere chimera of my own,
and that this foot might be the print of my own foot,
when I came on (liore from my boat : This cheared
me up a little too, and I began perfuade myfelf it was
all a delufion ; that it was nothing elfe but my own
foot ; and why might not I come that way from the
boat, as well as I was going that way to the boat ?
Again, I confidered alfo, that I could by no means
tell for certain where I had trod, and where I had
not ; and that, if at lafl: this was only the print of my
own foot, I had played the part of thofe fools, who
ftrive to make ftories of fpeftres and apparitions, and
then are themfelves frighted at them more than any
body elfe.

Now I began to take courage, and to peep abroad
again ; for I had not ftirred out of my caftle for three
days and nights, fo that I began to ftarve for provi-
fion ; for I had little or nothing within doors, but
fome barley-cakes and water. Then I knew that my
goats wanted to be milked too, which ufually was
my evening diverfion ; and the poor creatures were
in great pain and inconvenience for want of it; and

O 4 indeed

ftOO LIFE AND ADVENTURES

indeed It almoft: fpoiled fome of them, and almoft
dried up their milk.

Heartening myfelf therefore with the beKef, that
this was nothing but the print of one of my own feetj^
(and fo I might be truly faid to ftart at my own
fcadow,) I began to go abroad again, and went ta
my country-houfe to milk my flock ; but to fee with
what fear I went forward, how often I looked behind
me, how I was ready, every now-and-then, to lay
down my bafket, and run for my life ; it would have
made any one have thought I was haunted with an,
evil confciencej or that I had been lately mofl terri^.
bly frighted j and fo indeed I had.

However, as I went down thus two or three days,
and having feen nothing, I began to be a little bolder,
and to think there was really nothing in it but my
own imagination ; but I could not perfuade myfelf
fully of this, till I fhould go down to the fliore again,,
and fee this print of a foot, and meafure it by my
own, and fee if there was any fimilitude or fitnefs,
that I might* be aflured it was my own foot: But
when I came to the place firft, it appeared evidently
to me, that when I laid up my boat, I could not pof-
fibly be on fhore any where thereabouts : Secondly,
when I came to meafure the mark with my own foot,
I found my foot not fo large by a great deal : Both
thefe things filled my head with new imaginations,
and gave me the vapours again to the highell degree j
fo that I fhook with cold, like one in an ague, and I
went home again, filled with the belief that fome
man or men had been on fhore there j or, in fhort,
that the ifland was inhabited, and I might be fur-^

prifed

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* 201

f rifed before I was aware ; and what courfe to take
for my fecurity, I knew not,

O what ridiculous refolutions men take, when
poffeffed with fear ! It deprives them of the ufe of thofe
nieans which reafon offers for their relief. The
firft thing I propofed to myfelf was, to throw down
my inclofures, and turn all my tame cattle wild into
the woods, that the enemy might not find them, and
then frequent the ifland in profpeft of the fame, or
the like booty ; then to the fimple thing of digging
np my two corn-fields, that they might not find fuch
a grain there, and ftill to be prompted to frequent
the ifland ; then to demolifh my bower and tent, that
they might not fee any veftiges of my habitation,
and be prompted to look farther, in order to find
out the perfons inhabiting.

Thefe were the fubjeds of the firft night's cogita-
tion, after I was come home again, while the appre-
henfions which had fo over-run my mind were frefh
upon me, and my head was full of vapours, as above.
Thus fear of danger is ten thoufand times more terri-
fying than danger itfelf, when apparent to the
eyes ; and we find the burden of anxiety, greater by
much than the evil which we are anxious about ;
but, which was worfe than all this, I had not that
relief in this trouble from the refignation I ufed to
pracbife, that I hoped to have. I looked, I thought,
like Sauly who complained not only that the Pbilif^
tines were upon him, but that God had forfaken
him ; for I did not now take due ways to compofe
my mind, by crying to God in my diftrefs, and reft-
ing upon his providence, as I had done' before, for
niy defence and deliverance j which if I had done, I

had.

202 IJFE AND ADVENTURES

had, at leaft, been more chearfully fupported under
this new furprife, and perhaps carried through k
with more refolution.

This confufion of my thoughts kept me waking all
night ; but in the morning 1 fell afleep, and having
, by the amufement of my mind been, as it were, tired,
and my fpirits exhaufted, I fiept very foundly, and
awaked much better compofed than I had ever been
before : And now I began to think fedately ; and,
upon the utmoft debate with myfelf, I concluded,
that this ifland, which was fo exceeding pleafant,
fruitful, and no farther from the main land than as I
had feen, was not fo entirely abandoned as I might
imagine: That although there were no ftated in-
habitants who lived on the fpot ; yet that there might
fometimes come boats off from the fliore, who either
with defign, or perhaps never but when they were
driven by crofs winds, might come to this place.

That I had lived here 15 years now, and had not
met with the leaft fhadow or figure of any people be-
fore ; and that if at any time they fhould be driven
here, it was probable they went away again as foon
as ever they could, feeing they had never thought fit
to fix there upon any occafion, to this time.

That the moft I could fugged any danger from,
was, from any fuch cafual accidental landing qf
ftraggling people fiom the main, who, as it w^as
likely, if they were driven hither, 'Were here againft
their wills ; fo they made no (lay here, but went off
again with all pofTible fpeed, feldom flaying one night
on fiiore, left they fliould not have the help of the
tides and day-li^ht back again j and that therefore I

ba4

OF ROBINSON CRUSOI. a03

had nofhing to do but to confider of fome fafe retreat,
in cafe I fliould fee any favages land upon the fpot.

Now I begun forely to repent that I had dug
my cave fo large, as to bring a door through again,
which door, as I faid, came out beyond where my
fortification joined to the rock. Upon maturely
confidering this, therefore, I refolved to draw me
a fecond fortification, in the manner of a femi-
circle, at a diftance from my wall, juft where I had
planted a double row of trees about twelve years be.
fore, of which I made mention : thefe trees having
been planted fo thick before, there wanted but a
few piles to be driven between them, that they
fliould be thicker and ftronger, and my wall would
be foon finifhed.

So that I had now a double wall, and my outer
wall was thickened with pieces of timber, old cables,
and every thing I could think of to make it ftrong j
having in it feven little holes, about as big as I might
put my arm out at. In the infide of this I thickened
my wall to about ten feet thick, continually bring-
ing earth out of my cave, and laying it at the foot of
the wall, and walking upon it ; and through the
feven holes I contrived to plant the mufquets, of
which I took notice that I got feven on fhore out of
the fliip; thefe, I fay, I planted like my cannon,
and fitted them into frames that held them like a car-
riage, that fo I could fire all the feven guns in two
minutes time ? this wall I was many a weary month
in finifhing, and yet never thought myfelf fafe till it
was done.

When this was done, I ftuck all the ground with-
out my wall, for a great way every way, as full with

flakes

204 l-IFJS AND ADVENTURES

flakes or ftlcks of the ofier-like wood, which I found
fo apt to grow, as they could well (land ; infomuch
that I believe I might fet in near twenty thoufand
of them, leaving a pretty large fpace between them
5ind my wall, that I might have room to fee an
enemy, and they might have no fhelter from the
young trees, if they attempted to approach my
outer wall.

Thus in two years time I had a thick grove ; and
In five or fix years time I had a wood before my
dwelling, grown fo monftrous thick and ftrong,
that it was indeed perfedly impaffable ; and no maa
of what kind foever would ever imagine that there
was any thing beyond it, much lefs an habitation:
as for the way I propofed myfelf to go in and out (for
I left no avenue) it was by fetting two ladders ; one
to a part of the rock which was low, and then broke
in, and left room to place another ladder upon that j
fo when the t^vo ladders were taken down, no man
living could come down to me without mifchiefing
himfelf ; and if they had come down, they were ftill
on the outfide of my outer wall.

Thus I took all the meafures human prudence
could fuggeft for my own prefervation ; and it will
be feen at length, that they were not altogether with-
out juft reafon ; though I forefaw nothing at that
time more than my mere fear fuggefted.

While this was dojng, I was not altogether care*
lefs of my other affairs ; for I had a great concern
upon me for my little herd of goats ; they were not
only a prefent fupply to me upon every occafion, and
began to be fuflicient for me, without the expence of
powder and fhof;^ but alfo abated the fatigue of my

bunting

OF ROBINSON CRUS02« ^05

hunting after the wild ones ; and I was loth to lofe
ths advantage of them, and to have them all to nurfe
up over again.

To this purpofe, after long confideration, I could
think but of two ways to preferv^e them : one was
to find another convenient place to dig a cave under
ground, and to drive them into it every night ; and*
the other was to inclofe two or three little bits of
land, remote from one another, and as much con*
cealed as I could, where I might keep about half
a dozen young goats in each place ; fo that if any
difafter happened to the flock in general, I might be
able to raile them again with little trouble and time :
and this, though it would require a great deal of
time and labour, I thought was the mofl rational
defign*

Accordingly I fpent feme time to find out the
mofl retired parts of the ifland ; and I pitched upon
one, which was as private indeed as my heart could
wifh ; for it was a little damp piece of ground in the
middle of the hollow and thick woods, where, as is
obferved, I almofl loft myfclf once before, endea-
vouring to come back that v/ay from the eaftern part
of the ifland : here I found a clear piece of land,
near three acres, fo furrounded with woods that it
was almoft an inclofure by nature ; at leaft it did not
want near fo much labour to make it fo, as the other
pieces of ground I had worked fo hard at.

I immediately went to work with this piece of
ground, and in Icfs than a month's time I had fo
fenced it round, that my flock or herd, call it which
you pleafe, which were not fo wild now as at firft
they might be fuppofed to be, were well enough

4 fecured

206 LITE AND ADVENTURES

feciircd in it* So without any farther delay, I re-
moved ten fhe-goats and two he-goats to this piece j
and when there, I continued to perfefl: the fence,
till I had made it as fecure as the other, which, how-
ever, I did at more leifurCj and it took me up more
time by a great deal.

All this labour I was at the expcnce of, purely
from my apprehenfions on the account of the print
of a man's foot which I had feen ; for as yet, I never
faw any human creature come near the ifland, and I
had now lived two years under thefe uneafinefles,
which indeed made my life much lefs comfortable
than it was before ; as may well be imagined, by any
who know what it is to live in the conftant fnare of
the fear of man : and this I muft obferve with grief
too, that the difcompofure of my mind had too great
imprefHons alfo upon the religious part- of my
thoughts : for the dread ai?d terror of falling into
the hands of favages and cinnibals lay fo upon my
fpirits, that I feldom found myfelf in a due temper
for application to my Maker ; at leaft, not with the
fedate calmnefs and refignation of foul which I was
wont to do. I rather prayed to God as under great
afflidion and preffure of mind, furrounded with
danger, and in expeftation every night of being
murdered and devoured before the morning ; and I
muft teftify from my experience, that a temper of
peace, thankfulnefs, love and affeftion, is much
more the proper frame for prayer than that of terror
and difcompofure ; and that under the dread of mif-
chief impending, a man is no more fit for a comfort-
ing performance of the duty of praying to God, than
he is for repentance on a fick-bed j for thefe dif-

.compofures

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 20J

compofures affe£t the mind as the others do the body ;
and the difcompofure of the mind muft neceffarily
be as great a difability as that of the body, and much
greater ; praying to God being properly an aft of
the mind, not of the body.

But to go on : After I had thus fecured one part
of my little living flock, I went about the whole
ifland, fearching for another private place, to make
fuch another depofit ; when wandering more to the
weft point of the ifland than I had ever done yet, and
looldng out to fea, 1 thought I faw a boat upon
the fea at a great diftance: I had found a
perfpeftive glafs or two in one of the feamen's
chefts, which I faved out of our fhip ; but I had it
not about me ; and this was fo remote, that I could
not tell what to make of it, though I looked at it till
my eyes were not able to look any longer : whether
it was a boat, or not, I do not know ; but as I de-
fcended from the hill, I could fee no more of it, fo
I gave it over ; only I refolved to go no more with-
out a perfpeftive glafs in my pocket.

When I was come down the hill, to the end of
the ifland, where indeed I had never been before, I
was prefently convinced, that the feeing the print of
a man's foot, was not fuch a ftrange thing in the
ifland as I imagined ; and, but that it was a fpecial
Providence that I was caft upon the fide of th^ ifland
where the favages never came, I fhould eafily have
known, that nothing was more frequent than for
the canoes from the main, when they happened to
be a little too far out at fea, to (hoot over to that fide
of the ifland for harbour ; likewife, as they often met
and fought in their canoes, the vidors, having takei\

any

4o8 lIFfi Ai^b ADVENtURfiS

imy prifoners, would bring them over to this 'ifhorCj
where, according to their dreadful cuftoms, being all
cannibals, they would kill and eat them : of which
hereafter*

When I was comie down the hill to the fhore, as I
faid above, being the S. W. point of the ifland, I was
perfedly confounded and amazed ; nor is it poffible
for me to exprefs the horror of my mind, at feeing
the fhore fpread with fkuUs, hands, feet, and other
bones of human bodies ; and particularly I obferved a
place where there had been a fire made, and a circle
dug in the earth, like a cock-pit, where it is fuppofed
the favage wretches had fat down to their inhuman
feaftings upon the bodies of their fellow-creatures.

I was fo aflonifhed with the fight of thefe things,
that I entertained no notions of any danger to myfelf
from It, for a long while j all my apprehenfions
were buried in the thoughts of fuch a pitch of inhu-
man, hellifh brutality, and the horror of the degene-
ricy of human nature ; which, though I had heard
of often, yet I never had fo near a view of .before :
in fhort, I turned away my face from the horrid fpec-
tacle, my flomach grew fick, and I was jufl at the
point of fainting, when nature difcharged the diforder
from my flomach, and, having vomited with an un-
common violence, I was a little relieved, but could
not bear to flay in the place a moment ; fo I got me
up the hill again with all the fpeed I could, and
walked on towards my own habitation.

When I came a little out of that part of the ifland,
I flood ftill awhile as amazed ; and then recovering
myfelf, I looked up with the utmofl affeftion of my
foul, and, with a flood of tears in my eyes, gave

God

i

6f ^6Bms6t^ eitfsoE* , S09

fedb tirtiiiki, tfiit had caft i^f firft lot Ih a pirt 6f the
^drld whcrt I w^ difttngtriffifed ftotii fuch dreadful
trfeature^ is tfeefe j dnd that though I had efteetiifed
Hvf pfeTerit cohditidn verjr miferi!>le> hid fci gi^6i
toi fo tfilhy Goiiifbrts in it, fhat I hsA ftill rftot-e ti
give ihahfe fot than to coiiiplaiii of; ahd this abbve
' ^^ tltiat I hidj iveii in this miferable Condition, fciefeft
toriifottfed t^ith th^ knowledgfe bf himfelf, ^d thi
Irojrfe df lii^ bleflifig,- #hich i^as i feKcity nfbre thaii
fefficietitly eqtii^aleni iH m thft tnifefy ^frWeK I hd
fitffired, of could fuffer;

fti tfiU ffame of ihanfefiflnefe I ^tM honie te mf
taftte, and htpA to be inttth eafier fiovS^, dfs to tlWi
fefety ()f itiy circtrirftince^,' flian fcvcf 1 ^as berfbi^e ;
for I obfeirved, that theffe xirteteh^s ireV6f came to thii
fftattiii in t€2,ich ot "Wfiat tKey could g6t ; pferhaps not
feeding, hot ^attflfi^, or not 4:^eaiA!g atty il&ti^
i^r6 ; and ^a'vitig' often, ii6 ddiibij beerf tip in thi
^bVeYed Wobdy part of it, withotrt findih^ a!hy thihi
£6 t!h:erf piir^ofe : I kntew I had beeft ftefe Aow alirfolt
*ighi!&ri yeafs',^ arid *6veF fa# th« leaft footft^ps 6f
af hittfts&t CYti^Hre fhier^ before ; and might be hfere
iS^tc€A mif6 as 6iiti*df ionc^H^d ^ I was nb^)^^ if
i d!i4 n6¥ difcoSter niyfeff ^6 tifxfem, ^hich I had no
iSami 6f occa:iioh to^ dto*, W bSttg my 6nly bufiiieB
fo^^eep niyfelf entirely cohc^aled ^hei*i I t«^s, uMdfe
f foiiM a better fori! 6f crea&i^es tAari caAnibaft to
make myfelr krio^ri tbl

Yet f eiiteftairied fuch t£ti dbhofi?dA\i4 of tfe l^vag*
mefches tliat t liave lieeh* fjida^^ of, ahd of th*
wfetclied inhuman cuft'bih* 6f flieir d^vbtrnhg andf
eattrig bhe-ahotlier lip^ that f c6ilfintf<^d ^tM*vi^d
6;tf, and k^pt clofe wifliin ni'y o^A' imiiot ^uidK

Vol. I. P two

dip LIFE AND ADVENTURM

two years after this : when I fay my own circle, I
mean by it my three plantations, viz. my caftle, my
country-feat, which I called my bower, and my in-
clofure in the woods.; nor did I look after .this for
pny other ufe than as an inclofure for my goats ; for
the averfion which nature gave me to thefe hcUifh
wretches was fuch, that I was as fearful of feeing
them as of feeing the devil himfelf j nor did I fo
much as go to look after my boat in all this time,
but began rather to think of making me another ; for
I could not think of ever making any more attempts
to bring the other boat round the ifland to me, left I
fhould meet with fome of thofe creatures at fea, in
which, if I had happened to have fallen into their
hands, I knew what would have been my lot.

Time, however, and the fatisfadion I had, that I
was in no danger of being difcovered by thefe people,
began to wear off my uneafinefs about them j and I
began to live juft in the fame compofed manner as
before; only with this difference, that I ufed more
caution, and kept my eyes more about me than I
did before, left 1 ftiould happen to be feen by any of
them; and particularly, I was more cautious of firing
my gun, left any of them on the ifland fliould happen
to hear it ; and it was therefore a very pood provi-
dence to me, that I had furniflied myfelf with a tame
breed of goats, that I had no ne^d to hunt any more
about the woods, or Ihoot at them ; and if I did catch
any more of them after this, it was by traps and fnares
as I had done before : fo that for two years after
this, I believe I never fired my gun once off, though
I never went out withoutjt; and, which was more,
as I had faved three piftols out of the fliip, I always

carried

OP ROBINSON CRUSOEi fill

tarried them out with mcj or at leaft two of them,
fticking them in my goat-lkin belt : I likewife fur-
bifhed up oile of the great cutlaffes that I had out of
the Ihip, and made me a belt to put it in alfo ; fo that
I was now a moft formidable fellow to look at when
I went abroad, if you add to the former defcription
of myfelf, the particular of two piftols, and a great
broad-fword hanging at my fide in a belt, but with-
out a fsabbard.

Things going oil thus, as I have faid, for fom^
time, I feemed, excepting thefe cautions, to be re*
duced to my former calm fedate way of living ; all
thefe things tended to fliew me more and more how
far my condition was from being miferable, com-
pared to fome others ; nay, to many other particu-
lars of life, which it might have pleafed God to have
made my lot. It piit me upon reflefting, how little
repining there would be among mankind, at any
condition of life, if people would rather compare
their condition with thofe that are worfe, in order
to be thankful, than be always comparing them with
thofe which are better, to affill their murmurings and
complainings^

As in my prefent condition there Were not really
many things which I wanted, fo indeed I thought
that thfe frights I had been in about thefe favage
wretches, and the concern I had been in for my own
prefervation, had taken off the edge of my invention
for my own conveniencies, and I had dropt a good
defign, which I had once bent my thoughts upon j
and that was, to try if I could not make fome of
my barley into malt, and then try to brew myfelf
fome beer : this was really a whimfical thought, and

P a Ire- '

415 IIFE AND ADV£TiTURES

I reproved myfelf often for the fimplicity of it ; for
I prefently faw there would be the want of feveral
things neceffary to the making my beer, that it would
be impoffibk for me to fupply j aSj» firft, cafks to
|>referve it in, which was a thing that, as I have ob-
ferved already, I could never compafs j no, though
I fpent not many days, but weeks, nay months, in
attempting it, but to no purpofc. In the next place,
I had no hops to make it keep, no yeaft to make it
work, no copper or kettle to make it boil ; and yet,
had not all thefe things intervened, I mean thefrightsJ
and terrors I was in about the favages, I had under-
taken it,* and perhaps brought it to pafs too ; for I
feldom gave any thing over without accomplifliing
it, when I once had it in my head enough to be*
gm it.

But my invention now ran quite another way ; for
night and day I could think of nothing, but how I
might deftroy fome of thefe monfters in their cruel
bloody entertainment, and, if poffible, fave the
vidim they fhould bring hither to deftroy. It v/ould
take up a larger volume than this whole work is
intended to be, to fet down all the contrivances I
hatched, or rather brooded upon in my thoughts,
for the deftroying thefe creatures, or at leaft frighten-
ing them, fo as to prevent their coming hither any
more j but all was abortive ; nothing could be pof-
fible to take effedl, unlefs I was to be there to do it
myfelf; and what could one man do among them,
when perhaps there might be twenty or thirty of
them together, with their darts, or their bows and
arrows, with which they could flioot as true to a
mark as I could with my gun ?

Sometimes

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 213

Bometimes I contrived to dig an hole under the
place where they made their fire, and put in five or fix
pounds of gunpowder, which, when they kindled their
fire, would coijfequently take fire, and blow up all
that was near it j but, as in the firft place I fhoul4
be very loth to wafte fo much powder upon them,
my ftore being now within the quantity of a barrel,
fo neither could I be fure of its going off at any cer-
tain time, when it might furprife them; and, at
beft, that it would do little more than juft blow the
fire about their ears, and fright them, but not fuffi-
cient to make them forfake the place ; fo I laid it
afide, and then propofed, that I would place myfelf
in ambufti, in fome convenient place, with my three
guns all double-loaded, and in the middle of their
bloody ceremony let fly at them, when I fhouldbefure
to kiU'or wound perhaps two or three at every fhot j
and then falling in upon them with my three piftols
and my fword, I made no doubt but that, if there
were twenty, I fliould kill them all : this fancy pleafed
my thoughts for fome weeks, and I was fo full of it
that I often dreamt of it ; and fometimes^ that I was
juft going to let fly at them in my fleep.

I went fo far with it in my indignation, that I em-
ployed myfelf feveral days to find out proper places to
put myfelf in ambufcade, as I faid, to watch for them ;
and I went frequently to the place itfelf, which was
now grown more familiar to me ; and efpecially
while my mind was thus filled with thoughts of re-
renge, and of a bloody putting twenty or thirty of
them to the fword, as I ma:y call it ; but the horror
I had at the place, and at the fignals of the barb*.

P 3 rous

^14 ^IFE AND ADVENTURES

rous wretches devouring one another, abated my
malice.

Well, at length I found a place in the fide of the
hill, where I was fatisfied I might fecurely wait till I
faw any of the boats coming, and might then, even
before they would be ready to come on fhore, convey
myfelf unfeen into thickets of trees, in one of which
there was an hollow large enough to conceal me en-
tirely ; and where I might fit, and obferve all their
bloody doings, and take my full aim at their heads,
when they were fo clofe together, as that it would
be next to impoffible that I fhould mifs my fhoot, or
that I could fail wounding thre^ or four of th^m at
the firft flioot.

In this p?ace then I refolved to fix my defign ; andl
accordingly I prepared two mufkets and my ordi-
nary fowling-piece. The two muflkets I loaded with a
brace of flugs each, and four or five fmaller bullets,
about the fize of piftol-bullets, and the fowling-piece
I loaded with near an handful of fwan-ihot, of the
largefl fize ; I alfo loaded my piftols with about four
bullets each : and in thi$ pofture, well provided with
ammunition for a fecond and third charge, I prepared
myfelf for my expedition.

After I had thus laid the fcheme for my defign, and
in my imagination put it in praftice, I continually
made my tour every morning up to the top of the hill,
which was from my caftle, as I called it, about three
miles or more, to fee if I could obferve any boats
upon the fe^, coming near the ifland, or (landing
over towards it ; but I began to tire of this hard
duty, after I had for two or three months conftantly
kept my watch j but came always back without any

^fcovery.

dF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 21^

difcovery, there having not in all that time been the'
leaft appearance, not only on or near the fhore^ but
not on the whole ocean, fo far as my eyes or glaffes
could reach every way.

As long as I kept up my daily tour to the hill to
look out, fo longalfo I kept up the vigour of my de-
fign, and my fpirits feemed to be all the while in a
fuitable frame ifor fo outrageous an execution, as
the killing twenty or thirty naked favages, for an
offence, which I had not at all entered into a difcuf- '
fion of in my thoughts, any further than my paffions
were at firfl fired by the horror I conceived at the
unnatural cuflom of the people of that country, who,
it feenis, had been fuffered by Providence, in hifr
wife difpofition of the world, to have no other guide
than that of their own abominable and vitiated paf-
fions J and confequently were left, and perhaps had
been for fome ages, to adl fuch horrid things, aiid
receive fuch dreadful cufloms, as nothing but nature,
entirely abandoned of Heaven, and aftuated by fome
hellifh degeneracy, could have run them into ; but
now, when, as I have faid, I began to be weary of
the fruitlefs excurfion which I had made fo long, and
fo far, every morning in vain j fo my opinion of the
aftionitfelf began to alter, and I began, with cooler
and calmer thoughts, to cor^fider what it was I Uraai
going to engage in; what authority or call I had
to pretend to be judge and executioner upon thefe
men as criminals, whom Heaven had thought fit for
fo many ages to fuffer, unpunifhed, to go on, and
to be, as it were, the executioners of his judgments
upon one another ; alfo, how far thefe people were
offenders againfl me, and what right I had to en?

P4 . gag^

ai6h X-I?E ANX> 4©Y5NTURE«

gage ifl th,e. quarrel of that bipod, which they fixed
pjrpmifcupufly one upon another. I debated thij very
cjfiten, with myfiflf thus : How dp I knpw what Goi^
himfelf judges in this particular c^e ? It is certida
1^^ peoplp do i^f copwiit this as % crfi^e ; it is not
ggainflj thqr o^n confciences reproving, or their
^gljLt rep?;Q^^ng thijem* They dp not knQ>y it tp be
^fi pffewce, and theft commit it in defiance of diving
jjjfti^ej as \^Q dp in almoft all the fins we commits-
T^Jn^Y thinfe it np ippre a crime tp kill 4 captive taken-
]D/veRr> thsffi we do to kill ajr^ px ; npr to e^ij. humane
:8^, th^ we do to eat mutton,

When I bad confidered this 9. little, it followed.
ueceiTarily, that I was. certainly in the wrong in it ;
that thefe people vjrere not murderers in the fenfe that
I had before condemned them in my thoughts, any
mare than thofe Chriftians were murderers, wh^
often put to death the prifoners taken in battle, or*
inore frequently, upon mwy occafipns, put whole
ttopps of men to the fword, without giving quarter,^
though they threw down their arms and fubmitted.

In the next plage, it Pccurred to me, that albeit
the ufage they giivp on^ another was. thus brutifh and
inhuman, y^t it was really nothing to me ; thefe peo-
ple had done me no injury ; that if they attempted
roe, or.Ifaw it neceflary for. my inimed^ate pxeferva^
tipn to fall upon them, foj;nething might be faid for
it; but that I was y^t OA^t of their power, aft4 they
I\a4 really no knpwledgeof me, and confequently no.
dfiBgn upon me.; and therefore it could not he juft
fee me tp faU upon them : that this would juftify the
qq^adnft oJF xki^, Spaniards y in aU tfceir barbarities
pr^ay^jii 14 Amrica.. ^ere. th^y. df jObrpygd nsMiyions

of

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, ilf

of thefe people, who, however they were idolaters
and barbarians, and had feveral bloody and barba-
rous rites in thefe cuftoms, fuch as facrificing human
bodies to their idols, were yet, as to the Spaniards j
very innocent people ; and that the rooting them out
of the country is fpoken of with the utmoft abhor-
rence and deteftation, even by the Spaniards them-
felves, at this time, and by all other Chriftian nations
ci Europe 'i as a mere butchery, a bloody and unnatu-
ral piece of cruelty, unjuftifiable either to God or
jnan ; and fuch, as for which the very name of a
Spaniard is reckoned to be frightful and terrible to
all people of humanity, or of Chriftian compaflion ;
a$ if the kingdom of Spain were particularly eminent
for th^ produ£l of a race of men, who were without
j^inciples of tendernefs, or the common bowels of
pity to the miferable, which is reckoned to be a mark
of a generous temper in the mind.

Thefe confiderations really put me to a paufe, anc}
to a kind of a full ftop ; and I began by little and
little to be off of my defign, and to conclude I had
taken a wrong meafure in my refolutions to attack the
fevages ; that it was not my bufmefs to meddle with
them, unlefs they firft attacked me, and this it was
iny bufinefs, if poffible, to prevent ; but that, if I
were difcovered and attacked, then I knew my duty.

On the other hand, I argued with myfelf, that
this really was the way, not to deliver myfelf, but en»
tirely to ruin and deftroy myfelf; for unlefs I wa3
fure to kill every one that not only fliould be on fhore
»t that time, but that fhould ever come on fhora
afterwards, if but one of them efcaped to tell their
cpi^ntrjr- people what had happened, they would

coma

2l8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

come over again by thoufands to revenge the death
of their fellows ; and I fhould only bring upon myfelf
a certain deftrudion, which at prefent I had no man-
ner of occafion for.

Upon the whole^ I concluded, that neither in
principles nor in policy, I ought one way or other to
concern myfelf in this affair : that my bufmefs was
by all poflible means to conceal myfelf from them,
and not to leave the lead fignal to them to guefs by,
that there were any living creatures upon the ifland,
I mean of human fhape.

Religion joined in with this prudential, and I was
convinced now many ways that I was perfedtly out
of my duty, when I was laying all my bloody fchemes
for the deftruftion of innocent creatures, I mean in-
nocent as to me ; as to the crimes they were guilty of
towards one another, I had nothing to do with them ;
they were national punifhments to make a juft retri-
bution for national offences; and to bring public
judgments upon thofe who offend in a public manner,
by fuch ways as beft pleafe God.

This appeared fo clear to me now, that nothing
was a greater fatisfaftion to me, than that I had not
been fuffered to do a thing which I now faw fo much
re^on to believe would have been 1:10 lefs a (in than
that of wilful murder, if I had committed it } and I
gave moft humble thanks on my knees to God, that
had thus delivered me from blood-guiltinefs ; be-
feeching him to grant me the proteftion of his Provi-
dence, that I might not fall into the hands of barba-.
rians ; or that I might not lay my hands upon them,
unlefs I had a more clear call from Heaven to do it,
in defence of my own life,

In

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 2x9

f h this difpolition I continued for near a year after
this : and fo far was I from defiring an occafion for
falling upon thefe wretches, that in all that time I
never once went up the hill to fee whether there were
any of them in fight, or to know whether any of
them had been on fhore there, or not ; that I might
not be tempted to renew any of my contrivances
againft them, or be provoked, by any advantage
which might prefent itfelf, to fall upon them ; only
this I did, I went and removed my boat, which I
had on the other fide of the ifland, and carried it
down to the eaft end of the whole ifland, where I ran
it into a little cove which I found under fome high
rocks, and where I knew, by reafon of the currents,
the favages durft not, at leaft would not, come with
their boats, upon any account whatfoever.

With my boat I carried away every thing that I
had left there belonging to her, though not neceffary
for the bare going thither j viz. a mart and fail, which
I had made for her, and a thing like an anchor, but
indeed, which could not be called either anchor or
grappling ; however, it was the beft I could make of
its kind. All thefe I removed, that there might not
be the leaft fliadow of any difcovery, or any ap-
pearance of any boiat, or of any habitation upon the
ifland.

Befides this, I kept myfelf, as I faid, more retired
than ever, and feldom went from my cell, other than
upon my conftant employment, viz. to milk my fiie-
goats, and manage my little flock in the wood, which,
as it was quite on the other part of the ifland, was
quite out of danger : for certain it is, that thefe favage
jpeoplfi, who fometimes haunted this ifland, never

220 LIKE AND ADVENTURES

came with any thoughts of finding any thing feire,
and confequently never wandered ofi^ from the cbift^^
and I doubt not but they might have been feveral
times on Ihore, after my apprehenfions of them had
made me cautious, as well as before ; and indeed I
looked back with fome horror upon the thoughts of
what my condition would have been, if I had chopped
upon them, and been difcovered before that, when
naked and unarmed, except with one gun, and that
loaded often only with fmall fliot. I walked every
wh^re, peeping and peering about the ifland, to fee
what I could get : what a furprife Ihould I have been
in, if, when I difcovered the print of a man's foot,
I had inftead of that feen fifteen or twenty favages
and found them purfuing me, and, by the fwiftnefs
of their running, no polTibility of my efcaping
them !

The thoughts of this fometimes funk my very foul
within me, and diftreffed my mind fo much, that I
could not foon recover it } to think what I fhould
have done, and how I not only fliould not; have been
able to refift them, but even fhould not have had
prefence of mind enough to do what I might have
done ; much lefs what now, after fo niuch confidera-
tion and preparation, I might be able to do. IndeecJ,
after ferious thinking of thefe things, I would be very
melancholy, and fometimes it would laft a great
while ; but I refolved it at laft all into thankfulnefsi
to that Providence which had delivered me from fa
many unfeen dangers, and had kept me from thofq
mifchiefs, which I could no way have been the agent'
in delivering myfelf from '. becaufe I jbad not the leaft

liotioQ^

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* 4121

notion of any fuch thing depending, or the leaft
fuppofition of its being poffible.

This renewed a contemplation, which often had
come to my thoughts in former time, when firft I
began to fee the merciful difpofitions of Heaven, in
the dangers we run through in this life j how wonder-*
fully we are delivered when we know nothing of it l
how, when we are in a quandary (as we call it) a doubt
or hefitation, whether to go this way or that way^
a fecret hint Ihall dire£t us this way, when we in*
tended to go another way ; nay, when fenfe, our
own inclination, and perhaps bufmefs, has called to
go the other way, yet a ftrange impreffion upqn the
mind, from we know not what fprings, and by we
know not what power, ihall over-rule us to go this
way; and it fhall afterwards appear, that had we gone
that way which we would have gone, and even to our
imagination ought to have gone, we fhould have been
ruined and loft : upon thefe, and many like reflec-
tions, I afterwards made it a certain rule with me,
that whenever I found thofe fecret hints, or preffings
of my mind, to doing or not doing any thing that
prefented, or to going this way or that way, I never
failed to obey the fecret diftate ; though I knew no
other reafon for it, than that fuch a preflure, or fudi
an hint, hung upon my mind : I could give many
examples of the fuccefs of this conduft in the courfe
of my life J but more efpecially in the latter part of
my inhabiting this unhappy ifland ; befides many
occafions which it is very likely I might have taken
notice of, if I had feen with the fame eyes then that
I faw with now : But ^tis never too late to be wife ;
and I cannot but advife all coafidering men, whofe

lives

t2± LIFE AND ADVENTtTd.ES

Kves are attended with fuch extraordiriaiy inddeittt*
as mine, or even though not fo extraordinary, not td
flight fuch fecret intimations of Providence, let them
come from what invifible intelligence they will ; thafi
I flball not difcufs, arid perhaps canrtot account for j
but certainly they are a proof of the converfe of
fpirits, and the fecret commimication between thofe
embodied, and thofe unembodied ; and fuch a proof
as can never be withftood : bf which I fliall have oe-«
cafion to give fome very remarkable inftances, in
the remainder of my foKtary refidence inthiiB difmal
placew

' I believe the reader of this will not think it ftrange,
if I confefs that thefe anxieties, thefe conftant daft-*
gers I lived in, and the concern that was now upori
me, put an end to all invention, and to all the con*
trivances that I had laid for my future accommoda-
tions and conveniencies- I had the care of my fafety
more now upon my hands than that of my food. 1
cared not to drive a nail, or chop a fttck of wood
now, for fear the noife I Ihould make fliould be
heard ; much lefs would I fire a gun, for the fame
reafon ; and above all, I was very uneafy at making
any fire, left the ftnoke, which is vifible at a great
diftance in the day, fhould betray me : and for this
reafon I removed that part of my bufinefs, which
required fire, fuch as burning of pots and pipes, &c.
into my new apartment in the wood ; where, after I
had been fome time, I found, to my unfpeakable con-
folation, a mere natural cave in the earth, which went
in a vaft way, and where, I dare fay, no favage, had
he been at the mouth of it, would ^ fo hardy as to
venture in, nor indeed would any man elfe, but one

who.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 2 25

"^h^^ like me, wanted nothing fo much as a fafe
retreat.

The mouth of this hollow was at the bottom of ai
great rock, where, by mere accident (I would fay, if
I did not fee an abundant reafon to afcribe all fuch
things now to Providence), I was cutting down fome
thick branches of trees to make charcoal j and before
I go on, I muft obferve the reafon of my making this
charcoal, which was thus :

I was afraid of making a fmoke about my habita-
tion, as I faid before ; and yet I could not live there
without baking my bread, cooking my meat, &c. fo I
contrived to burn fome wood here, as I had feen done
iai England under turf, till it became chark, or dry
coal ; and then putting the fire out, I preferved the
coal to carry home, and perform the other fervices,
which fire was wanting for at home, without danger
or fmoke.

But this by the bye : While I was cutting down fome
wood here, I perceived that behind a very thick
branch of low brufhwood, or underwood, there was a
kind of hollow place : I was curious to look into it,
and getting with difficulty into the mouth of it, I found
it was pretty large, that is to fay, fufficient for me to
ftand upright in it, and perhaps another with me ;
but I muft confefs to you, I made more hafte out than
I did in; when looking further into the place, which
was perfectly dark, I faw two broad fhining eyes of
fome creature, whether devil or man I knew not,
which twinkled like two ftars, the dim light froip.
the cave's mouth fhining direftly in, and making
the reflexion.

However,

224 l^I^E A*ID ADVENTURla

However, after fome paufe, I recovered tayfelf^
ind began to call myfelf a thoufand fools, and tell
myfelf, that he that was afraid to fee the devil, was
Hot fit to live twenty years in an ifland all alone, and
that I durft to believe there was nothing in this cave
that was more frightful than myfelf: upon this^
plucking up my courage, I took up a large firebrand^
and in 1 rufhed again, with the flick flaming in iny
liand : I had not gone three fteps in, but I was aU
moft as much frightened as I was before ; for I
heard a very loud figh, like that of a man in fome
pain ; and it was followed by a broken ncfife, as if of
words half-expreffed, sind then a deep figh again :
I flepped back, and was indeed ftruck with fucM^a
furprize, that it put me into a Cold fweat j and if I
had had an hat ofi my head, I will not anfwer foi^ it
that my hair might not have lifted it oiR But ftill,
plucking up my fpirits as well as I could, and eh-»
couraging myfelf a little, with confidering that the
power and prefence of God was every- where, and
was able to protefl: me ; upon this I flepped forward
aigain, and by the light of the firebraild, holding if
up a little over my head, I faw lying on the ^otltid
a mofl monftrous frightful old he-goat, juft making
his will, a^ we fay, gafping for life, and dying in--
deed of mere old age.

I flirred him a little to fee if I could g6t hJm o^t,
arid he effayed to get up, but was ribt able to
raife himfelf j and I thought with niiyfetf, he might
even lie there ; for if he had frightened me fo'y ht
would certainly fright any of th^ favages, if any 6f
them fhould be fo hardy as to come in therd, while Ke
had any life in him-

4 I was

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ^2$

1 was now recov^ed from my furprize, and began
to look round me, when I found the cave was but
Very fmall j that is to fay, it might be about twelve
feet over, but in no manner of fhape, either round or
fquare, no hands having ever been epplpyed in
making it but thofe of mere nature t I obferved alfo,
that there was a place at the farther fide of it that went
in farther, but fo low, that it« required me to creep
upon my' hands and knees to get into it, and whither
it went, I knew not ; fo having no candle, I gave
it over for fome time, but refolved to come again the
next day, provided with candles and a tinder-box,
NvhichI had made of the lock of one of the mufquets,
with fome wild-fire in the pan.

Accordingly, the next day, I caitie provided with
fix large candles of my own making (for I made very
good caudles now of goats tallow) ; and going into
this low place, I was obliged to creep upon all fours,
as I have faid, almoft ten yards ; which, by the way,
I thought was a venture bold enough, confidering
that I knew not how far it might go, or what was
beyond it. When I was got through the ftreight,
I found the roof rofe higher up, I believe near twenty
feet ; but never was fuch a glorious fight feen in the
ifland, I dare fay, as it was, to look round the fides
and roof of this vault or cave. The walk reflefted
an hundred thoufand lights to me from my two
candies : what it was in the rock, whether diamonds,
or any other precious ftones, or gold, which I rather
fuppofe it to be, I knew not.

The place I was in was a moft delightful cavity,
or grotto, of its kind, as could be expefted, though
perfedly dark j the floor was dry and level, and had

Vol-. I. . C^ a fort

226 'LIFE AND ADVENTURES

a fort of fmall loofe gravel upon it ; fo that there was
no naufeous creature to be feen ; neither was there
atiy damp or wet on thefidesof the roof ; the only
difficulty in it was the entrance, which, however, as
it was a place of fecurity, and fuch a retreat as I
wanted, I thought that was a convenience ; fo that
1 was really rejoiced at the difcovery, and refolved,
without any delay, to bring fome of thofe things
which I was moft anxious about, to this place ; par-
ticularly, I refolved to bring hither my magazine of
powder, and all my fpare arms, viz. two fowling-
pieces (for I had three in all) and three mufquets (for
of them I had eight in all) ; fo I kept at my caftFe
only five, which flood ready mounted, like pieces
of cannon, on my outmofl: fence, and were ready
alfp to take out upon any expedition.
V Upon this occafion of removing my ammunition, I
was obliged to opeii the barrel of powder which I
took up out of the fea, and which had been wet ; and
I found, that the water had penetrated about three or
four inches into the powder on every fide, which,
caking and growing hard, had preferved the infide
like ,a kernel in a fhell; fo that I had near fixty
pounds of very good powder in the centre of the
cafk y and this was an agreeable difcovery to me at
that time; fo I carried all away thither, never keep-
ing above two or three pounds of powder with me in
my caftle, for fear of a: furprife of any kind : I alfo
carried thither aH the lead I had left for bullets.

I fancied myfelf now like one of the ancient giants,
which were faid to live in caves and holes in the rock,
where none could come at them ; for I perfuaded my^
felf while I was here, if five hundred favages were to

hunt

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE; ±2%

hunt ine, they could never find me out ; or if they
did, they would not venture to attack me here.

The old goat, which I found expiring, died in the
mouth of the cave the next day after I made this
difcovery ; and I found it much eafier to dig a great
hole there, and throw him in, and cover him with
earth, than to drag him out; fo I interred him
there, to prevent offence to my nofe*

I was now in my twenty-third year of refidence in
this ifland, and was fo naturalized to the place, and
to the manner of living, that could I have but enjoyed
the certainty that no favages would come to the
place to difturb me, I could have been content to
have capitulated for fpending the reft of my time
there, even to the laft moment, till I had laid me
down and died, like the old goat in the cave : I had
alfo arrived to fome little diverfions and amufements,
which made the time pafs more pleafantly with me a
great deal than it did before ; as, firft, I had taught
my Pollj as I noted before, to fpeak ; and he did it fo
familiarly, and talked fo articulately and plain, that
it was very pleafant to me ; and he lived with me no
iefs than fix-and-twenty years : how long he might
live afterwards I knew not ; though I know they
have a notion in the Bra/ils, that they live an hun-
dred years j perhaps fome of my Polls may be alive
there ftill, calling after Poor Robin Crufoe to this
day ; I wifh no Efiglijhman the ill luck to come there
and hear them j but if he did, he would certainly
believe it was the devil. My dog was a very pleafant
and loving companion to me for no Iefs than fixteen
years of my time, and then died of mere old age ;
as for my cats, they multiplied, as I have obfervedj

C^i to

iid LIFE AND ADVENTURES

to that degree, that I was obliged to fhoot feveral
of them at fitft, to keep them from devom-ing mef
and all I had ; but at length, when the two old ones
I brought with me were gone, and after fome time
continually driving them from me, and letting them
have no provifion with me, they all ran wild into
the woods, except two or three favourites, which I
kept tame, and whofe young, when they had any, I
always drowned, and thefe were part of my family i
Befides thefe, I always kept two or three houfliold
kids about me, which I taught to feed out of my
Jiand ; and I had alfo more parrots which talked
pretty well, and would all call Robin CrufcCj but none
Jike my fitft ; nor, indeed, did I take the pains with
toy of them that I had done with him* I had alfo
feveral tame fea-fowls, whofe names I know not,
which I caught upon the (hore, and cut their wings ;
and the little ftakes, which I had planted before my
caftle wall, being now grown up to a good thick
grove, thefe fowls all lived among thefe low trees^
and bred there, which was very agreeable to me ; for
that, as I faid above, I began to be very well con-
tented with the life I led, if it might but hay^
been fecured from the dread of favages.

But it was otherwife dire€ked j and it might not be
amifs for all people who ffiall meet with my ftory to
makeithis juft obfervation from itj vizr. How fre-
quently, in the courfe of our lives, the evil which
in itfelf we feek mofl: to fhun, and which, when We
are fallen into, is the moH dreadful to us, is often-
times the very means or door of our deliverance, by
which alone we can be raifed again from the afflic-
tion we are fallen into : I could give many examples
« of

OF ROBINSOM CRUSOE. 229

of this in the courfe of my unaccountable life ; but
in nothing was it more particularly remarkable,
than in the circumftances of my laft years of folitary
refidence in this ifland.

It was now the month of December^ as I faid above,
in my twenty-third year ; and this being the fouthem
folftice, for winter I cannot call it, was the particular
time of my harveft, and required my being pretty
much abroad in the fields ; when going out pretty
early in the morning, even before it was thorough
day-light, I was furprized with feeing a light of fome
fire upon the (hore, at a diftance from me of about
two miles, towards the end of the ifland, where I had
obferved fome favages had been, as before ; but not
on the other fide : but, to my great affliction, it
was on my fide of the ifland.

I was indeed terribly furprized at the fight, and
flopped ftiort within my grove, not daring to go out,
lefl: I might be furprized ; and yet I had no more peace
within, from the apprehenfions I had, that if thefe
favages, in rambling over the ifland, fhould find my
corn fl:anding, or cut, or any of my works and im-
provements, they would immediately conclude that
there were people in the place, and would then never
give over till they found me out : In this extremity
J went back direftly to my caftle, pulled up the ladder
after me, having made all things without look as
wild and natural as I could.

Then I prepared my felf within, putting myfelf in a
pofture of defence: I loaded all my cannon, as I
called them, that is to fay, my mufquets, which were
mounted upon my rew fortification, and all my pifl:ols,
md refolved to defend myfelf to the laft gafp ; not
(^3 forgetting

^3® ^IFE AND ADVENTURES

forgetting ferioufly to recommend myfelf to the divine
protedion, and earneftly to pray to God to disliver
me out of the hands of the barbarians ; and in this;
pofture I continued about two hours, but began to
be mighty impatient for intelligence abroad, for I
had no fpies to fend out.

After fitting a while longer, and mufing what I
ihould do in this cafe, I v/as not able to bear fitting
in ignorance longer j fo fetting up my ladder to the
fide of the hill, where there was a flat place, as I
obferved bjefore, and then pulling the ladder up after
me, I fet it up again, and mounted to the top of the
hill ; and pulling out my perfpedlive glafs, which I
had taken on purpofe, I laid me down flat on my
belly on the ground, and began to look for the
place : I prefently found there were no lefs than
nine naked favages fitting round a fmall fire they had
made ; not to warm them, for they had no need of
that, the weather being extreme hot ; but, as I fup-»
pofed, to drefs fome of their barbarous diet of human
flefli which they had brought with them, whether
alive or dead I could not know. x

They had two canoes with them, which they had
hauled up upon the ftiore ; and as it was then tide of
ebb, they feemed to me to wait the return of the
flood to go away again. It is not eafy to imagine
what confufion this fight put me into, efpecially feeing
them come on my fide the ifland, and fo near me,
too ; but when I obferved their coming muft be al-
ways with the current of the ebb, I began afterwards
to be more fedate in my mind, being fatisfied that I
might go abroad with fafety all the time of tide of
flood, if they were not on ihore before j and having

made

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 2^

made this obfervation, I went abroad about my har-
veil work with the more compofure.

As I expefted, fo it proved ; for as foon as the tid^
made to the weftward, I faw them all take boat, and
row (or paddle, as we call it) all away : I fhould have
•obferved, that for an hour and more before they went
oft, they went to dancing, and I could ealily difcern
their poftures and geftures by my glaffes : I could
only perceive, by my niceft obfervation, that they
were ftark naked, and had not the lead covering
upon them ; but whether they were men or women,
that I could not diftinguifh.

As foon as I faw them fhipped and gone, I took two
guns upon my fhoulders, and two piftols at my girdle,
and my great fword by my fide, without a fcabbard ;
and with all the fpeed I was able to make, I went
away to the hill, where I had difcovered the firft ap-
pearance of all. As foon as I got thither, which was
not lefs than two hours (for I could not go apace, be-
ing fo lo2^ded with arms as I was), I perceived there had
been three canoes more of favages on that place ; and
looking out further, I faw they were all at fea to-
gether, making over for the main.

This was a dreadful fight to me, efpecially, when
going down to the fhore, I could fee the marks of
horror which the difmal work they had been about
had left behind it, viz. the blood, the bones, and
part of the flefh of human bodies, eaten and devoured
by thofe wretches with merriment and fport, I
was fo filled with indignation at the fight, that I be-
gan now to premeditate the deftruftion of the next
that I faw there, let them be who or how many foever.

q.4 It

^^2 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

It feemed evident to me, that the vilits which they
thus made to this ifland were not very frequent ^
for it was above fifteen months before any more of
them came on fhore there again ; that is to fay, I
never faw them, or any footfteps or fignals of them,
in all that time ; for as to the rainy feafons, then they
are fure not to come abroad, at leaft not fo far : yet
all this while I lived uncomfortably, by reafon of the
conftant apprehenfions I w^s in of their coming upon
me by furprize; from whence lobferve, that the
expectation of evil is nxore bitter than the fufFering,
efpecially if there is no room to Ihake off that expec*.
tation or thofe apprehenfions.

During all this time, I was in the murdering hu-
mour ; and took up mod of my hours, which fhould
have been better employed, in contriving how to,
circumvent and fall upon them the very next time I
fhould fee them; efpecially if they fhould be di-
vided, as they were the laft time, intp two parties j
nor did I confider at all, that if I killed one party 3,
fuppofe ten or a dozen, I was fl:ill the next day, or
week, or month, to kill another, and fo another^
even ad infinitum^ till I fhpuld be at length no lefs a
murderer than they were in being men-eaters, and
perhaps much more fo.

I fpent my days now in great perplexity an4
anxiety of mind, expefting that I fhould one day 01^
other fall into the hands of thofe mercilefs creatures :
if I did at any time venture abroad, it was not with-
out looking round me with the greatefl care and
caution imaginable ; and now I found, to my great
comfort, how happy it was that I had provided a tame

flock

OF ROBWSON CRUSOE, 233

flock or herd of goats ; for I durft not, upon any
account, fire my gun, erpecially near that fide of the
ifland where they ufaally came, left I fhould alarm
the favages ; and if they had fled from me now, I was
fure to have them come back again, with perhaps two
or three hundred canoes with them in a few days, and
then I knew what to expeft.

However, I wore out a year and three months
niote before I ever faw any more of the favages, and
then I found them again, as I fhall foon obferve. It
is true, they might have been there once or twice,
t)ut either they made no ftay, or, at leaft, I did not
hear them ; but in the month of May^ as near as I
could calculate, and in my four-and-twentieth year,
I had a very ftrange encounter with them, of which
in its place.

The perturbation of my mind, during this fifteen
or fixteen months interval, was very great ; I flept
unquiet, dreamed always frightful dreams, and often
ftarted out of my fleep in the night : in the day great
troubles overwhelmed my mind ; in the night I
dreamed often of killing the favages, and the reafons
why I might juftify the cooing of it: But to wave all
this for a while, it was in the middle of May^ on the
fixteenth day, I think, as well as my poor wooden
calendar would reckon, for I marked all upon the
poft ftill ; I fay, it was on the fixteenth of May^ that
it blew a great ftorm of wind all day, with a great
deal of lightning and thunder, and a very foul night
was after it : I know not what was the particular
pccafion of it ; but as I was reading in the bible, and
taken up with ferious thoughts abput my prefent con-
dition,^

234 ^IFE AND ADVENTURES

dition, I was furprized with the noife of a gun, as I
thought, fired at fea.

This was, to be fure, a furprize of a quite different
nature from any I had met with before ; for the no-
tions this put into my thoughts were quite of another
kind : I ftarted up in the greateft hafte imaginable ;
and in a trice clapped up my ladder to the middle
place of the rock, and pulled it after me, and mount-
ing it the fecond time, got to the top of the hill; that
very moment a flafh of fire bade me liften for a fecond
gun, which accordingly in about half a moment I
heard, and by the found knew that it was from that
part of the fea where I was driven out with the cur-
rent in my boat.

I immediately confidered that this muft be fome
fhip in diftrefs, and that they had fome comrade, or
fome other fliip in company, and fired thefe guns for
fignals of diftrefs, and to obtain help : I had this
prefence of mind at that minute as to think, that
though I could not help them, it may be they might
help me : fo I brought together all the dry wood I
could get at hand, and making a good handfome
j[)ile, I fet it on fire upon the hill ; the wood was
dry, and blazed freely, and though the wind blew
very hard, yet it burnt fairly out, fo that I was cer-
tain, if there was any fuch thing as a fhip, they muft
needs fee it, and no doubt they did ; for as foon as
ever my fire blazed up, I heard another gjm, and
after that feveral others, all from the fame quarter.
I plied my fire all night long, till day broke ; and
when it was broad day, and the air cleared up, I fa w
fomething at a great diftance at fea, full eaft of the

ifland j

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ^^35

ifland ; whether a fail or an hull I could not diftin*
guifli, no, not with my glaffes, the diftance was fo
great, and the weather ftill fomething hazy alfo ; at
leaftit was fo out at fea.

I looked frequently at it all that day, and foon per-
ceived that it did not move ; fo I prefently concluded
that it was a fhip at anchor ; and being eager, you
may be fure, to be fatisfied, I took my gun in my
hand, and ran towards the fouth-eaft fide of the
ifland, to the rocks, vvhere I had been formerly carried
away with the current; and getting up there, the
weather by this time being perfedly clear, I could
plainly fee, to my great forrow, the wreck of a fhip
xraft away in the night upon thofe concealed rocks
which I found when I was out in my boat ; and which
rocks, as they checked the violence of the ftream,
and made a kind of counter-ftream, or eddy, were
the occafion of my recovering then from the moft
defperate, hopelefs condition, that ever I had been in
all my life.

Thus, what is one man^s fafety is another man's
-deftrudlion ; for it feems thefe men, whoever they
were, being out of their knowledge, and the rock$
being wholly under water, had been driven upon
them in the night, the wind blowing hard at E. and
E. N. E. Had they feen the ifland, as I mufl necef-
farily fuppofe they did not, they mufl:, as I thought,
have endeavoured to have favcd themfelves on fliore
by the help of their boat j but the firing of their
guns for help, efpecially when they faw, as I ima-
gined, my fire, filled me with many thoughts : firft,
I imagined, that, upon feeing my light, they might
HaVe put themfelves into their boat, and have endea-
voured

^^6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

voured to make the fhore ; but that the fea going
very high, they might have been caft away : other
times I imagined, that they might have loft their
boat before, as might be the cafe many ways ; as
particularly, by the breaking of the fea upon their
Ihip, which many times obliges men to ftave, or take
in pieces their boat ; and fometimes to throw it over^
board with their awn hands ; other times I imagined,
they had fome other (hip or fhips in company, who,
upon the fignals of diftrefs they had made, had taken
them up, and carried them off ; otherwhiles I fan-
cied they were all gone off to fea in their boat, and
being hurried away by the current that I had been,
formerly in, v/ere carried out into the great ocean^
where there was nothing but mifery and perifliing ;
and that perhaps they might by this time think of
ftarving, and of being in a condition to eat one:
another.

As all thefe were but conjeftures at beft, fo, in.
the condition I was in, I could do no more than look
upon the mifery of the poor men, and pity them j
which hifd ftill this good effeft on my fide, that it
gave me more and more caufe to give thanks to God,
who had fo happily and comfortably provided for me
in my defolate condition ; and that of two fliips com-
panies, who were now caft away upon this part of the
world, not one life fhould be fpared but mine, I
learnt here again to obferve, that it is very rare that
the providence of God cafts us into any condition of
life fo low, or any mifery fo great, but we may fee
fomething or other to be thankful for, and may fee
oth^r§ in worfe circumftances than our own.

SugU

Ot? ROBINSON CRUSOE. 237

Such certainly was the cafe of thefe men, of
whom I could not fo much as fee room to fuppofe any
of them were faved ; nothing could make it rational^
fo much as to with or expefl: that they did not all
perifli there, except the poffibility only of their being
taken up by another fhip in company : and this was
but mere poffibility indeed ; for I faw not the leaft
fignal or appearance of any fuch thing,

I cannot explain, by any poflible energy of words^
what a ftl-ange longing, or hankering of defire, t felt
in my foul upon this fight ; breaking out fometimes
thus : O that there had been but one or two, nayi
but one foul faved out of the fliip^ to have efcaped
to me, that I might but have had one companion^
one fellow-creature to have fpoken to. me, and to
have converfed with ! In all the time of my folitary
life, I never felt fo earneft, fo ftrong a defire after
the fociety of my fellow-creatures, or fo deep a re*
gret at the want of it.

There are fome fecret moving fpiings in the afFec*
tions, which, when they are fet a going by fome
objea in view, or be it fome objefl: though not in view^
yet rendered prefent to the mind by the power of
imagination, that motion carries out the foul by its
impetuofity to fuch violent eager embracings of the
objed, that the abfence of it is infupportable.

Such were thefe earned wifliings. That but one
man had been faved ! O thatit had been but one ! I
believe I repeated the words, O that it had beeii but
one ! a thoufand times ; and my defires were fo moved
by it, that when I fpoke the words, my hands would
clinch together, and my fingers prefs the palms of my
hands, that if I had had any foft thing in my hand,

it

^38 LI^E AND ADVENTURES

it would have cruflied it involuntarily ; and my teeth
in my head would ftrike together, and fet againft one
another fo ftrong, that for fome time I could not part
them again.

Let the naturalifts explain thefe things, and the
reafon and manner of them : all I can fay of them
is, to defcribe the fafl:, which was ever furprifing to
me when I found it, though I knew not from what
it fhould proceed ; it was doubtlefs the effeft of ar-
dent wiflies, and of ftrong ideas formed in my mind,
realizing the comfort which the converfation of one
of my fellow-chriftians would have been to me.

But it was not to be ; either their fate, or mine,
or both, forbad it ; for till the laft year of my being
on this ifland, I never knew whether any were faved
out of that fhip, or no ; and had only the afHiftion
fome days after to fee the corpfe of a drowned boy
come on Ihore, at the end of the ifland which was
next the fhipwreck: he had on no clothes but a
feaman^s waiftcoat, a pair of open kneed linen
drawers, and a blue linen fiiirt j but nothing to diredt
me fo much as to guefs what nation he was of: he
had nothing in his pocket but two pieces of eight,
and a tobacco-pipe ; the laft was to me of ten times
more value than the firft.

It was now calm, and I had a great mind to ven-
ture out in my boat to this wreck, not doubting but I
might find fomething on board that might be ufeful
to me ; but that did not altogether prefs me fo much,
as the pofllbility that there might be yet fome living
creature on board, whofe life I might not only fave,
but might, by faving that life, comfort my own to
the laft degree: and this thought clung fo to my

heart.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ^39

heart, that I could not be quiet night nor day, but I
muft venture out in my boat on board this wreck ;
and committing the reft to God's providence, I
thought the impreffion was fo ftrong upon my mind,
that it could not be refifted, that it muft come from
fome invifible diredion, and that I fhould be want-
ing to myfelf if I did not go.

Under the power of this impreffion, I haftened
back to my caftle, prepared every thing for my
voyage, took a quantity of bread, a great pot for
frefti water, a compafs to fteer by, a bottle of rum
(for I had ftill a great deal of that left,) a bafket-full
ofraifms: and thus loading myfelf with every thing
neceffary, I went down to my boat, got the water
out of her, and got her afloat, loaded all my cargo
in her, and then went home again for more : my
fecond cargo was a great bag-full of rice, the um-
brella to fet up over my head for fhade, another
large pot full of frefh water, and about two dozen of
my fmall loaves, or barley-cakes, more than before,
with a bottle of goat*s milk, and a cheefe ; all which,
with great labour and fweat, I brought to my boafr;
and praying to God to direfl: my voyage, I put out,
and rowing or paddling the canoe along the fhore, I
cam'e at laft to the utmoft point of the ifland, on that
fide, viz. N. E. And now I was to launch out
into the ocean, and either to venture, or not to ven- t
ture ; I looked on the rapid currents which ran con-
ftantly on both fides of the ifland, at a diftance, and
which were very terrible to me, from the remem*
brance of the hazard I had been in before, and my
heart began to fail me ; for I forefaw, that if I was ,
driven into either of thofe currents, I fliould be car-
3 ried

24^ ilFt AkD ADVENTURE^

riied a vaft way out to fea, and perhaps out of mf
reach or fight of the ifland again j and that then, ad
hiy boat was but fmall, if any little gale of wind
Ihould rife, I fhould be inevitably loft.

Thefe thoughts fo opprefled iny mindj that I began
to give over my enterprife ; and having haled my boat
into a little creek on the ftiore, I ftepped out, and fat
me down upon a little fpot of rifmg ground, very
peufive and anxious, between fear and defire, about
any voyage ; when, as I was mufing, I could perceive
that the tide was turned, and the flood came on,
upon which my goiiig was for fo many hours imprac-
ticable : upon this it prefently occurred to me, that
I fiiould go up to the higheft piece of ground I could
find, and obferve, if I could, how the fets of the tide
bT currents lay, when the flood came in, that I might
Judge whether, if I was driven one way out, I might
hot expeft to be driven another way home, with the
fame rapidnefs of the currents : this thought was no
fooner in my head, but I caft my eye upon a little
hill which fufliciently overlooked the fea both ways^
and from whence I had a clear view of the curreoits^
or fets of the tide, and which way I was to guide
myfelf in my return : here I foimd, that as the cur-
rent of the ebb fet out elofe by the fouth point of the
ifland, fo the current of the flood fet in clofe by the
fliore of the north-fide ; and that I had nothing, to do
but to keep to the north of the ifland in my return,
and I fliould do well enough.

Encouraged with this obfervation, I tefolved the
next morning to fet out with the firft of the tide ; and
repofing myfelf for that night in the canoe, under
the great watch-coat I mentioned, I launched out :

I made

bF ROBINSOk CRtJSdi. ' 5t4l

1 made firfl: a little out to fea, full north, till I began
to feel the benefit of the current, which fet eaftward,
and which carried me at a great rate, and yet did not
fo hurry me as the fouthern-fide current had done
before, and fo as to take from me all government of
the boat ; but having a ftrong fteerage with my pad-
dle, I went, I fay, at a great rate, direftly for the
Wreck, and in lefs than two hours I came up to it.

It was a difmai fight to look at : the fliip, which
by its building was Spanijhj ftuck fail, jambed in
between two rocks ; all the ftern and quarter of her
was beaten to pieces with the fea ; and as her fore-
caftle, which ftuck in the rocks, had run on with
great violence, her main-maft and fore*maft were
brought by the board, that is to fay, broken fhort
off, but her bowfprit was found, and the head and
bow appeared firm : When I came clofe to her, a
dog appeared upon her, which, feeing me coming,
yelped and cried, and as foon as I called him, jumped
into the fea to come to me ; and I took him into the
boat, but found him almoft dead for hunger and
thirft : I gave him a cake of my bread, and he ate
like a ravenous wolf that had been ftarving a fort-
night in the fnow : I then gave the poor creature
fome frefh water, with which, if I would have let
him, he would have burft himfelf.

After this I went on board : the firft fight I met
with was two men drowned in the cook-room, or
forecaftle of the fhip, with their arms faft about one
another. I concluded, as is indeed probable, that
when the fhip ftruck, it being in a ftorm, the fea
broke fo high, and fo continually over her, that the
men were not able to bear it, and were ftrangled with

Vol. I. R the

tf4? 1-1*2 AND ADVENTURES

the conftant rufhing in of the water, as much as if
they had been under water j befides the dog, there
was nothing left in the fhip that had life, nor any
•goods that I could fee, but what were fpoiled by the
water : there were fome cafks of liquor, whether
wine or brandy I knew not, which lay lower in the
hold, and which, the water being ebbed out, I could
fee ; but they were two big to meddle with : I faw
feveral chefts, which I believed belonged to fome of
the feamen, and I got two of them into the boat with-
out examining what was in them.

Had the ftern of the fhip been fixed, and the fore-
part broken off, I am perfuaded I might have made
a good voyage ; for by what I found in thefe two
chefts, I had room to fuppofe the fhip had a great
deal of wealth on board ; and if I may guefs by the
courfe fhe fleered, fhe miift have been bound from
the Buenas Ayres, or the Rio de la Plata^ m the
fouth part of America^ beyond the Brafils^ to the
Havannaj in the gulph of Mexico^ and fo perhaps
to Spain : She had, no doubt, a great treafure in her,
but of no ufe at that time to any body ; and what
became of the reft of her people I then knew not.

I found, befides thefe chefts, a little cafk full of
liquor, of about twenty gallons, which I got into my.
boat with much difficulty : there were feveral muf-
quets in a cabin, and a great powder-horn, with
about four pounds of powder in it ; as for the muf-
quets, I had no occafion for them, fo I left them,
but took the powder-horn ; I took a fire-fhovel and
tongs, which I wanted extremely ; as alfo two little
brafs kettles, a copper pot to make chocolate, and a
grid-iron j and with this cargo, and the dog, I came

away.

OF ROBli^SON CRUSOE. 243

away, the tide beginning to make home again ; and
the fame evening, about an hour within night, I
reached the ifland again, weary and fatigued to the
laft degree.

I repofed that night in the boat, and in the morn-
ing I refolved to harbour what I had gotten in my
tiew cave, not to carry it home to my caftle : after
refrefliing myfelf, I got all my cargo on fhore, and
began to examine the particulars : the cafk of liquor
I found to be a kind of rum, but not fuch as v/e had
lat the Brafils ; and, in a word, not at all good j but
when I came to open the chefts, I ifound fevcral
things which I wanted : for example, I found in one
a fine cafe of bottles, of an extraordinary kind, and
filled with cordial waters, fine, and very good ; the
bottles held about three pints each, and were tipped
with filver : 1 found two pots of very good fuccades,
or fweet-meats, fo faftened alfo on the top, that the
fait water had not hurt them ; and two more of the
fame, which the water had fpoiled : I found fome
Very good fhirts, which were very welcome to me,
and about a dozen and a half of white linen hand-
kerchiefs, and coloured neck-cloths ; the former were
alfo very welcome, being exceeding refrefliing to
wipe my face in an hot day : befides this, when I
came to the till in the chefts, I found there three great
bags of pieces of eight, which held about eleven
hundred pieces in all ; and in one of them, wrapt
up in a paper, fix doubloons of gold, and fome fmall
bars or wedges of gold j I fuppofe they might all
weigh near a pound.

The other cheft I found had fome clothes in it, but
of little value j but by the circumftances, it muft have

R 2 belonged

244 LI^E AND ADVENTURES

belonged to the gunner's mate, as there was no pow-
der in it, but about two pounds of glazed powder
in thp three flalks, kept, I fuppofe, for charging
their fowling-pieces on occafion : Upon the whole,
I got very little by this voyage that was of much ufe
to me } for as to the money, I had no manner of
occafion for it ; it was to me as the dirt under my
feet } and I would have given it all for three or four
pair of Englijh Ihoes and (lockings, which were things
I greatly wanted, but had not had on my feet now
for many years : I had, indeed, got two pair of
Ihoes now, which I took oflf the feet of the two
drowned men whom I faw in the wreck ; and I
found two pair more in one of the chefts, which
were very welcome to me j but they were not like our
Englijh flioes, either for eafe or fervice, being rather
what we call pumps than fhoes : I found in the fea-
man's cheft about fifty pieces of eight in royals, but
no gold } I fuppofe this belonged to a poorer man
than the other, which feemed to belong to fome
officer.

Well, however, I lugged the mojiey home to my
cave, and laid it up, as I had done that before
which I brought from our ou^n fliip ; but it was great
pity, as I faid, that the other part of the fliip had not
come to my fliare, for I am fatisfied I might have
loaded my canoe feveral times over with money^
which, if I had ever cfcaped to England^ would have
lain here fafe enough till I might have come again
and fetched it.

Having now brought all my things on fhore, and
fecured them, I went back to my boat, and rowed or
paddled her along the fhore to her old harbour, where

I laid

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 245

I laid her up, and made the beft of my way to my old
habitation, where I found every thing fafe and quiet ;
fo I began to repofe myfelf, live after my old fafhion,
and take care of my family affairs ; and for a while I
lived eafy enough ; only that I was more vigilant
than I ufed to be, looked out oftener, and did not go
abroad fo much ; and if at any time I did ftir with
any freedom, it was always to the eaft part of the
ifland, where I was pretty well fatisfied the favages
never came, and where I could go without fo many
precautions, and fuch a load of arms and ammuni-
tion as I always carried with me, if I went the other
way.

I lived in this condition near two years more j but
my unlucky head, that was always to let me know it
was born to make my body miferable, was all thefe
two years filled with projeds and defigns, how, if it
were poffible, I mi^ht get away from this ifland ; for
fometimes I was for making another voyage to the
wreck, though my reafon told me, that there was
nothing left there worth the hazard of my voyage :
fometimes for a ramble one way, fometimes another ;
and I believe verily, if I had the boat that I went
from Sallee in, I fhould have ventured to fea, bound
any where, I knew not whither.

I have befen, in all my circumftanees, a momento
to thofe who are touched with that general plague of
mankind, whence, for aught I know, one half of
their miferies flow ; I mean, that of not being fatis-
fied with the fl:ation wherein God and nature hath
placed them ; for, not to look back upon my primi-
tive condition, and the excellent advice of my father
the opppfition to which was, as I may call it, my

R 3 original

24^ tIFE AND ADVENTURES

original fin, my fubfequent miftakes of the fame kind
have been the means of my coming into this mife-
rable condition ; for had that Providence, which fo
happily had feated me at the Bra/ils as a planter,
bleffed me with confined defires, and could I hav€t
been contented to have gone on gradually, I might
have been by this time, I mean, in the time of my
being, on this ifland, one of the mod confiderable
planters in the Brafils ; nay, I am perfuaded, that
by the improvements I had made in that Uttle time I
lived there, and the increafe I fhould probably have
made if I had ftaid, I might have been worth an
hundred thoufand moidores ; and what bufmefs had
I to leave a fettled fortune, well-ftocked plantation,
improving and increafmg, to turn fuper-cargo to
Guinea^ to fetch Negroes, when patience and time
would fo have increafed our flock at home, that v/e
Gould have bought them at our own doors, from,
thofe whofe bufmefs it was to fetch them ? And
though it had cofl us fomething more, yet the differ-
ence of that price was by no means worth faving at
fo great a hazard.

BiUt as this is ordinarily the fate of young heads, fa.
refieflion upon the folly of it is as ordinarily the
exercife of more years, or of the dear-bought ex-,
perience of time ; and fo it was with me now ; and.
yet, fo deep had the miflake taken root in my temper,^
that I could not fatisfy myfelf in my flation, but was
continually poring upon the means and poflibility of
my efcape from this place : and that I may, with the
greater pleafure to the reader, bring on the remain^
ing part of my ftory, it may not be improper to give
fome account of my firfl conceptions on thq fubjed of

thi$

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 247

this foolifli fclieme for my efcape ; and how, and
upon what foundation, I afted.

I am now to be fuppofed to be retired into my
callle, after my late voyage to the vvreck, my frigate
laid up, and fecured under water as ufual, and my
condition reftored to what it was before : I had more
wealth, indeed, than I had before, but was not at
all the richer ; for I had no more ufe for it than
the Indians of Peru had before the Spaniards came
thither.

It was one of the nights, in the rainy feafon in
March ^ the four-and-twentieth year of my firft fetting
foot in this ifland of folitarinefs, I was lying in my
bed or hammock, awake, and very well in health,
had no pain, no diftemper, no uneafinefs of body,
no. nor any uneafinefs of mind more than ordinary,
but could by no means clofe my eyes, that is, fo as
to fleep ; no, not a wink all night long, otherwife
than as follows :

It is as impoffible as needlefs, to fet down the innu-
merable crowd of thoughts that whirled through that
great thoroughfare of the brain, the memory, in this
night^s time : I ran over the whole hiftory of my life
in miniature, or by abridgment, as I may call it, to
my coming to this ifland ; and alfo of that part of
my life fmce I came to this ifland. In my reflec-
tions upon the ftate of my cafe, fince I came on
fhore on this ifland, I was comparing the happy
pofliure of my aflfairs in the firft years of my habita-
tion here, to that courfe of anxiety, fear, and care,
which I had lived in ever fince I had feen the print of
a foot in the fand ; not that I did not believe the fa-
vages had frequented the ifland even all the while, and
might have been feveral hundreds of them at times

R4 on

^4? L1J?S AND ADVENTURES

on the fhore there ; but as I had never known it,
and was incapable of any apprehenfions about it, my
fatisfadion was perfeft, though my danger was the
fame ; and I was as happy in not knowing my dan-
ger, as if I had never really been expofed to it ; this
furniflied my thoughts with many very profitable
refleftions, and particularly this one : How infinitely
good that Providence is, which has fettled in its
government of mankind fuch narrow bounds to his
fight and knowledge of things ; and though he walks
in the midft of fo many thoufand dangers, the fight
of which, if difcovered to him, would diftraO: his
mind, and fink his fpirits, he is kept ferene and
calm, by having the events of things hid from his
eyes, and knowing nothing of the dangers which fur-
round him.

After thefe thoughts had for fonie timg entertained
xne, I came to refledk ferioufly upon the real danger
I had been in for fo many years in this very ifland ;
and how I had walked about in the greateftfecurity,
and with all poflible tranquillity, even perhaps when
nothing but a brow on a hill, a great tree, or the
cafual approach of night, had been betwreen me and
the worft kind of deftrudipn, ''viz. that of falling
into the hands of cannibals' and favages, who would
have feized on me with the fame view as I did on a
goat or a turtle, and have thought it no more a crime
to kill and devour me, than I did of a pigeon or a
curlieu ; I fhould unjufty flander myfelf, if I fhould
fay I was not fincerely thankful to my great Prefervef,
to whofe fingular proteftion I acknowledged, with
great humility, that all thefe unknown deliverances
were due, and without which I fhould inevitably
have fallen into their, mqrcilefs hands.

When

OF ROBIKSON CRUSOE^ 249

When thefe thoughts were over, my head was for
fome time taken up in confidering the nature of thefe
wretched creatures, I mean, the favages ; and how
it came to pafs in the world, that the wife Governor
of all things fliould give up any of his creatures to
fuch inhumanity, nay, to fomething fo much below,
even brutality itfelf, as to devour Its own kind : but
as this ended in fome (at that time fruitlefs) fpecula-
jions, it occurred to me to inquire what part of the
world thefe wretches lived in ; how far off the coafl:
was from whence they came ; what they ventured fo
far from home for ; what kind of boats they had ;
and why I might not order myfelf, and my bufinefs
fo, that I might be as able, to go over thither as they
were to come to me.

I never fo much as troubled myfelf to confider,
what I fhould do with myfelf when I came thither ;
what fhould become of me if I fell into the hands of
the favages ; or how I fhould efcape from them, if
they attempted me ; no, nor fo much as how it was
poffible for me to reach the coafl, and not be attacked
by fome or other of them, without any poffibility of
delivering myfelf ; and if I fhould not fall into their
hands, what I fhould do for provifion, or whither I
fliould bend my courfe; none of thefe thoughts, I
fay, fo much as came in my way ; but my mind was
wholly bent upon the notion of my paffingoverin
my boat to the main land : I looked back upon my
prefent condition as the mofl miferable that could
poffibly be ; that I was not able to throw myfelf into
any thing but death, that could be called worfe ; that
if I reached the fhore of the mains I might, perhaps,
jneet with relief} or I might cqaft along, as I did ou

the

250 l^IFE AND ADVENTURES

the fhore of Africa^ till I came to fome inhabited
country, and where I might find fome relief; and
after all, perhaps, I might fall in with fome Chriftian
ihip that might take me in ; and if the worft came
to the worft, I could but die, which would put an end
to all thefe miferies at once. Pray, note, all this
was the fruit of a difturbed mind, an impatient tem-
per, made, as it were, defperate by the long con*
tinuance of my troubles, and the difappointments I
had met in the wreck I had been on board of, and
where I had been fo near the obtaining of what I fo
earneftly longed for, i^/z, fomebody to fpeak to, and
to learn fome knowledge from of the place where I
was, and of the probable means of my deliverance :
I fay, I was agitated wholly by thefe thoughts. All
my calm of mind in my refignation to Providence,
and waiting the iffue of the difpofitions of Heaven,
feemed to be fufpended ; and I had, as it were, no
power to turn my thoughts to any thing but the pro-
jeft of a voyage to the main ; which came upon me
with fuch force, and fuch an impetuofity of defire^
that it was not to be refifted.

When this had agitated my thoughts for two hours
or more, with fuch violence that it fet my very blood
into a ferment, and my pulfe beat as high as if I had
been in a fever, merely with the extraordinary fer-
vour of my mind about it ; nature, as if I had been
fatigued and exhaufted with the very thought of it,
threw me into a found fleep ; one would have thought
I fhould have dreamed of it ; but I did not, nor of
any thing relating to it ; but I dreamed that as 1 was
going out in the morning, as ufual from my caftle,
I faw upon the fliore.two canoes, and eleven favages

coming

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 951

coming to land, and that they brought with them
another iavage, whom they were going to kill, in or-
der to eat him ; when, on a fudden, the favage that
they were going to kill, jumped away, and ran for
his life 2 then 1 thought in my fleep, that he came
running into my little thick grove, before my fortifica-
tion, to hide himfelf ; and that I feeing him alone, and
not perceiving that the others fought him that way,
Ihewed myfelf to him, and fmiling upon him, encou-
raged him, that he kneeled down to me, feeming to
pray me to allift him ; upon which I fhewed my lad-
der, made him go up it, and carried him into my
cave, and he became my fervant ; and that ^as foon
as I had got this man, I faid to myfelf. Now I may
certainly venture to the main land ; for this fellow
will ferve me as a pilot, and will tell me what to do, and
whither to go for provifions, and whither not to go
for fear of being devoured ; what places to venture
into, and what to efcape, I waked with this
thought, and was under fuch inexpreffible impreffions
of joy at the profpcdt of my efcape in my dream, that
the difappointments which I felt upon coming to my-
felf, and finding it was no more than a dream, were ,
equally extravagant the other way, and threw me
into a very great dejeftion of fpirit.

Upon this, however, I made this conclufion, that
my only way to go about an attempt for an efcape,
was, if poffible, to get a favage in my pofleffion ; and,
if poffible, it fhould be' one of their prifoners whom
they had condemned to be eaten, and fhould bring
hither to kill ; but thefe thoughts ftill were attended
with this difficulty, that it was impoffible to effisdt
this, without attacking a whole caravan of them, and

killing

«52 I-IFE AKD ADVENTURES

killing them all; and this was not only a very
defperate attempt, and might mifcarry ; but, on the
other hand, I had greatly fcrupled the lawfulnefs of
it to me, and my heart trembled at the thoughts of
Ihedding fo much blood, though it was for my deli-

.verance: I need not repeat the arguments which
occurred to me againft this, they .being the fame
mentioned before: but though I had other reafons to

^ oflfer now, viz. that thofe men were enemies to my
life, and would devour me, if they could ; that it was
felf-prefervation, in the higheft degree, to deliver my-
felf from this death of life, and was afling in my
own defence, as much as if they were adually af-
faulting me, and the like ; I fay, though thefe things
argued for it, yet the thoughts of ihedding human
blood for my deliverance were very terrible to me,
and fuch as I could by no means reconcile myfelf to
a great while.

However, at laft, after many fecret difputes with
myfelf, and after great perplexities about it (for all
thefe arguments, one way and another, ftruggled in
my head a long time), the eager prevailing delire of
deliverance at length maftered all the reft, and I re^
folved, if poflible to get one of thefe favages into my
hands, coft what it would t the next thing then was
to contrive how to do it ; and this indeed was very
difficult to refolve on : but as I could pitch upon no
probable means fqr it, fo I refolved to put myfelf
upon the watch to fee them when they came on fhore,
and leave the reft to the event, taking fuch meafures
as the opportunity fhould prefent, let it be what it
would.

With

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE» ±$^

With thefe refolutions in my thoughts, I fet myfelf
upon the fcout as often as poffible, and indeed fo of-
ten, till I was heartily tired of it ; for it was above a
year and an half that I waited^ and for a great part
of that time went out to the weft end, and to the
fouth^weft corner of the ifland, almoft every day, to
fee the canoes, but none appeared: this was very dif-
couraging, and began to trouble me much ; though
I, can't fay that it did in this cafe, as it had done fome
time before that, viz. wear off the edge of my delire
to the thing ; but the longer it feemed to be delayed,
the more eager I was for it : in a word, I Mas not at
firft more careful to Ihun the fight of thefe favages,
and avoid being feen by them, than I was now eager
to be upon them.

Befides, I fancied myfelf able to manage one, nay,
two or three favages, if I had them, fo as to make
them entirely flaves to me, to do whatever I fhould
direO: them, and to prevent their being able, at any
time, to do me any hurt : it was a great while that I
pleafed myfelf with this affair, but nothing ftill pre-
fented ; all my fancies and fchemes came to nothing,
for no favages came near me for a great while.

About a year and an half after I had entertained
thefe notions, and, by long mufing, had, as it were,
tefolved them all into nothing, for want of an occa-
fion to put them in execution, I was furprifed one
morning early, with feeing no lefs than five canoes
all on Ihore together, on my fide the ifland, and the
people who belonged to them all landed, and out of
my fight : the number of them broke all my mea-
fures ; for feeing fo many, and knowing that they
always came four, or fix, or fometimes more, in a

boat.

4^4 ^^FE ^^^ AbVE^tukEa

boat, I could not tell what to think of it, or how td
. take my meafures to attack twenty or thirty men
fmgle-handed } fo I lay ftill in my caftle, perplexed
and difcomforted ; howeverj I put myfelf into all
the fame poftures for an attack that I had formerly
provided, and was juft ready for aftion^ if any
thing had prefented: having waited a good whlle^
liftening to hear if they made any noife ; at length
being very impatient, 1 fet my guns at the: foot of
my ladder, and clambered up to the top of the hill
by my two ftages, as ufual ; (landing fo, however ^
that my head did not appear above the hill, fo that
they could not perceive me by any means : here I
obferved by the help of my perfpeftive glafs, that
they were no lefs than thirty in number ; that they
had a fire kindled, and that they had meat dreffed ;
how they cooked it, that I knew not, or what it
Avas ; but they were all dancing in I know not how
Inany barbarous geftures and figures, their own way,
tound the fire.

When I was thus looking on them, I perceived by
my perfpeftive two miferable wretches dragged from
the boats, where, it feems, they were laid by, and
were now brought out for the flaughter : I perceived
one of them immediately fall, being knocked down,
I fuppofe, with a club or wooden fword, for that was
their way ; and two or three others were at work im-
mediately, cutting him open for their cookery, while
the other viftim was left ftanding by himfelf, till they
ihould be ready for him : in that very moment this
poor wretch, feeing himfelf a little at liberty, fiature
infpired him with hopes of life, and he ftarted away
from them, and ran with incredible fwiftnefs along

I the

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 655

the fands, direcHy towards me, I mean, towards that
part of the coaft where my habitation was.

I was dreadfully frighted (that I muft acknowledge)
when I perceived him to run my way ; and efpecially
when, as I thought, I faw him purfued by the whole
body ; and now I expeded that part of my dream
was coming to pafs, and that he would certainly
take Ihelter in my grove ; but I could not depend^
by any means, upon my dream for the reft of it,
'uiz. that the other favages would not purfue him
thither, and find him there. However, I kept my
ftation, and my fpirits began to recover, when I
found that there were not above three men that
followed him; and ftill more was I encouraged,
when I found that he outftript them exceedingly in
running, and gained ground of them, fo that if he
could but hold it for half an hour, I faw eafily
he would fairly get away from them all.

There was between them and my caftle the creek,
which I mentioned often at the firft part of my ftory,
when I landed my cargoes out of the fhip ; and this
I knew, he muft neceffarily fwim over, or the poor
wretch would be taken there :' but when the favage
efcaping came thither, he made nothing of it, though
the tide was then up ; but plunging in, fwam through
in about thirty ftrokes, or thereabouts, landed, and
ran on with exceeding ftrength and fwiftnefs : when
the three purfuers came to the creek, I found that
two of them could fwim, but the third could not,
and that he, ftanding on the other fide, looked at
the other, but went no farther ; and foon after went
foftly back again, which, as it happened, was very
well for him in the main.

I obferved,

256 JLIfE At^D At)VENtUli£$

I obferved, that the two who fwam were yet mbref
than twice as long fwimming over the creek than the!
fellow was that fled from them : it came now very
warmly, upon my thoughts, and indeed irrefiftibly,
that now was my time to get a fervant, and perhaps
a companion, or affiftant, and that I was called
. plainly by Providence to fave this poor creature's lifei
. I. immediately got down the ladders with all polEble
expedition, fetched my two guns, for they were both
-at the foot of the, ladder, as I obferved above ; and
gettiiig up again ynth the fame hafte to the top of
the hill, I croffed towards the fea; and having a
very fhort cut, and all down hill, clapped myfelf
in the way between the purfuers and the purfued,
hallooing aloud to him that fled, who, looking b^ck,
was at firft perhaps as much frighted at me as at
them ; but I beckoned with my hand to him to come
back; and in the mean. time, I flowly advanced to-
wards the two that followed ; then rufliing at once
upon the foremoft, I knocked him down with the
(lock of my piece ; I was loth to fire, becaufe I would
not have the reft hear, though at that diftance it
would not have been eafily heard ; and being out of
light of the fmoke too, they would not have eafily
known what to make of it. Having knocked this
fellow down, the other who purfued him ftopped,
as if he had been frightened, and I advanced apace
towards him; but as I came nearer, I perceived
prefently he had a bow and arrow, and was fitting it
to flioot at me ; fo I was then neceflitated to flioot at
him firft ; which I did, and killed him at the firft
fliot. The poor favage who fled, but had ftopped,
though he faw both his enemies fallen, and killed

2 (as

_ / / r»^/ v# /y . //. fA^n/

,.//«.. //*//^«,/

'/^M/-/i/h;f Jf'ft/ f //,A' fyJvi'H .V/.cA.f,,/fyirf^,/t//v

C^ ROBINSON CRUSOE. 257

(as he thought) yet was fo frighted with the fire and
noife of my piece, that he flood ftock-flill, and
neither came forward nor went backward, though
he feemed rather inclined to fly flill, than to come
on. I hallooed again to him, and made figiis to
come forward, which he eafily underflood, and came
a little way, then flopped again, and then a little
farther, and flopped again ; and I could then perceive
that he flood trembling, as if he had been taken pri-
foner, and had jufl been to be killed, as his two
enemies were. I beckoned him again to come to me,
and gave him all the figns of encouragement that I
could think of; and he came nearer and nearer,
kneeling down every ten or twelve fleps, in token of
acknowledgment for faving his life. I fmiled at him
and looked pleafantly, and beckoned to him to come
ftill nearer. At length he came clofe to me, and
then he kneeled down again, kiffed the ground, and
laid his head upon the ground, and taking me by the
foot, fet my foot upon his head : This, it fcems, was
In token of fwearing to be my flave for ever. I took
him up, and made much of him, and encouraged him
all I could. But there was more work to do yet;
for I perceived the favage, whom I knocked down,
was not killed, but flunned with the blow, and began
to come to himfelf : fo I pointed to him, and fhewed
him the favage, that he was not dead : upon this he
fpoke fome words to me ; and though I could not
underfland them, yet I thought, they were pleafant to
hear, for they were the firfl found of a man's voice
that I had heard, my own excepted, for above five-
and-twenty years : but there was no time for fuch
refledlions now : the favage, who was knocked down.
Vol. I. S recovered

258 LIFE AND ADVEl^TURES

recovered himfelf fo far as to fit up upon the ground ;
and I perceived that my favage began to be afraid ;j
but when I faw that, I prefented my other piece at the
man, as if I would fhoot him : upon this my favage>
for fo I call him now, made a motion to me to len4
him my fword, which hung naked in a belt by my
fide J fo I did : he no fooner had it, but he runs tp
his enemy, ' and at one blow cut off his head fo cle*
verly, no executioner in Germany could have done^
It fooner or better ; which I thought it very ftrange
for one, who, I had reafon to believe, never faw a
fword in his life before, except their own wooden
fwords: however it feems, as I learned afterwards,
they make their wooden fwords fo Iharp, fo heavy^
and the wood is fo hard, that they will cut off heads
even with them, nay, and arms, and that at one blow
too. When he had done this, he comes laughing
to me in fign of triumph, and brought me the fword
again, and, with abundance of geftures, which I did
not underftandj laid it down, with the head of the
favage that he had killed, juft before me.

But that which aftoniflied him moft was, to know
how I had killed the other Indian fo far off; fo point-
ing to him, he made figns to jne to let him go to him;
fo I bade him go, as well as I could: When he came
to him, he ftood like one amazed, looking at him }
turned him firft on one fide, then on t'other ; looked
at the wound the bullet had made, which it feems
was juft in his breaft, where it had made an hole,
and no great quantity of blood had followed j but he
had bled inwardly, for he was quite dead : then h^
took up his bow and arrows, and came back ; fo I
turned to go away, and beckoned him to follow
2 me^

OF JEtOBINSON CRUSOE. S59

tiie, making figns to him that more might come
after them.

Upon this he figned to me, that he fliould bury
them with fand, that they might not be feen by the
reft, if they followed ; and fo I made figns again to
him to do fo : he fell to work, and in an inftant he
had fcraped an hole in the fand with his hands, big
enough to bury the firft in, and then dragged him
into it, and covered him, and did fo alfo by the
other : I believe he had buried them both in a quar-
ter of an hour: then calling him away, I carried
him not to my caftle, but quite away to my cave, on
the farther part -of the ifland ; fo I did not let my
dream come to pafs in that part ; viz. that he came
into my grove for Ihelter*

Here I gave him bread, and a bunch of raifins to
eat, and a draught 6f water, which I found he was
indeed in great diftrefs for, by his running ; and
having refrefhed him, I made figns for him to go lie
down and fleep, pointing to a place where. I had laid
a great parcel of rice-ftraw, and a blanket upon it,
which I ufed to fleep upon myfelf fometimes : fo the
poor creature lay down, and went to fleep.

He was a comely handfome fellow, perfectly wel
made, with ftraight long limbs, not too large, tall
and well-fliaped, and, as I reckon, about twenty-fix
years of age. He had a very good countenance, not
a fierce and furly afpefl:, but feemed to have fome-
thing very manly in his face, and yet he had all the
fweetnefs and foftnefs of an European in his coun-
tenance too, efpecially when he fmiled : his hair was
long and black, not curled like wool ; his forehead
very high and large, and a great vivacity and

S 2 ^fparkling

i6<J ll^B A^D ADV£NtURS9

^arkling fharpnefs in his eyes. The colouf of liis
fkin was not quite black, but very tawny, and yet
Bot of an ugly yellow naufeous tawny, as the Bra*
Jtlians and Virginians^ and other natives of America
are ; but of a bright kind of a dun olive colour, that
had in it fomething very agreeable, though not very
eafy to defcribe. His face was round and plump^
his nofe fmall, not flat like the negroes, a very good
mouth, thin lips, and his teeth fine, well-fet, and
ivhite as ivory. After he had flumbered, rather than
flept, about half an hour, he waked again, and come*
out of the cave to me, for I had been milking my
goats^ which I had in the inclofure juft by : when
he efpied me, he came running to me, laying himfelf
down again upon the ground, with all the pofSble
figns of an humble thankful difpofition, making many
atitlc geilutes to fliew if. At laft he lays his head
flat upon the gfoutid^ clofe to my foot, and fets my
other foot upon his head, as he had done before ; and
after this, made all the figns to me of fubjeftion,
fervitude, and fubmiflion imaginable, to let me know
how much he would ferve me as long as he lived :
* I underflood him in many things, and let him know
1 was very well pleafed with him* In a little time I
began to fpeak to him, and teach him to fpeak to
me : and firft, I made him know his name fliould be
Friday y yihidi was the day I faved his life; and I
called him fo for the memory of the time : I likewife
taught him to fay Majier^ and then let him know that
was to be my name ; I likewife taught him to fay
Tes and No^ and to know the meaning of them: I
gave him fome milk in an earthen pot, and let him
fee me drink it before him, and fop my bread in it j
I and

I

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. a6l

and I gave him a cake of bread to do the like, ^vhich
he quickly complied with, and made figns that it
was very good for him.

I kept there with him all that night ; but as foon as
it was day, I beckoned him to come with me, and
let him know I would give him fome clothes ; at which
he feemed very glad, for he was ftark-naked. As
we went by the place where he had buried the two
men, he pointed exaftly to the fpot, and fhewed me
the marks that he had made to find them again, mak-
ing figns to me that we flibuld dig them up again,
and eat them ; at this I appeared very angry, ^xpreffed
my abhorrence of it, made as if I would vomit at the
thoughts of it, and beckoned with my hand to him
to come away, which he did immediately, with great
fubmiffion : I then led him up to the top of the hill,
to fee if his enemies were gone, and pulling out my
glafs, I looked, and faw plainly the place where they
had been, but no appearance of them, or of their
canoes ; fo that it was plain that they were gone, and
had left their two comrades behind them, without any
fearch after them.

But I was not content with this difcovery ;' but
having now more courage, and confequently 'more
curiofity, I took my man Friday with me, giving him
the fword in his hand, with the bow and arrows at
his back, which I found he could ufe very dexte*
roufly, making him carry one gun for me, and I two
for myfelf, and away we marched to the place where
thefe creatures had been ; for I had a mind now to
get fome fuller intelligence of them. When I came to
the place, my very blood ran chill in my veins, and
my heart funk within me at the horror of the fpeftacle :
S 3 indeed

:}^^<^t

a62 MFE AISTD ADVENTURES

indeed It was a dreadful fight, at leaft it was fo to me^
though Friday made nothing of it ; the place was
covered with human bones, the ground dyed with
the blood, great pieces of flejfh left here and there,
half-eaten, mangled, and .fcorched ; and, in fhort,
all the tokens of tjie triumphant feaft they had been
making there, after a viftory over their enemies : I
faw three IkuUs, five hands, and the bones of three
or four legs and feet, and abundance of other parts
of the bodies j and Friday^ by his figns made me
underftand that they brought over four prifoners tq
feaft upon ; that three of them were eaten up, and
that he, pointing to himfelf, was the fourth : that
there had been a great battle between them and their
next king, whofe fubjefts, it feems, he had been one
of; and that they had taken a great number of pri-
foners^ air which were carried to feveral places by
thofe that had taken them in the flight, in order to
leaft upon them, as was done here by thefe wretches
upon thofe they brought hither.

1 caufed Friday to gather all the ikulls, bones, flefli,
and whatever remained, and lay them together ou
an heap, and make a great fire upon it, and burn
them all to alhes : I found Friday had ftill an hanker-
ing ftomach after fpme of the flefh, and was ftill a
cannibal in his nature ; but I difcovered fo much ab-
horrence at the very thoughts of it, and at the leaft
appearance of it, that he durft not difcover it ; for I
had, by fome means, let him know, that I would
kill him if he offered it.

When he had done this, we cam^ back to our
caftle, and there I fell to work with n^y man Friday :
iind firft of all, I gave him a pair of linen drawerj^

whieb

. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 263

ip^hich I had out of the poor gunner's cheft I men-
tioned, and which I found in the wreck; and
which, with a little alteration, fitted him very
well : then I made him a jerkin of goat's-lkin as
well as my ikill would allow, and I was now grown
a tolerable good taylor: and I gave him a cap, which
I had made of an hare-fkin, very convenient, and
faftuonable enough : and thus he was dreffed, for
the prefent, tolerably well, and mighty well was he
p!eafed to fee himfelf almoft as well clothed as his maf-
ter : it is true, he went awkwardly in thefe things at
firft ; wearing the drawers was very awkward to him,
and the fleeves of the waiftcoat galled his fhoulder$
and the infide of his arms ; but a little eafing them,
where he complained they hurt him, and ufing him^
felf to them, at length he took to them very well.

The next day after I came home to my hutch with .
him, I began to confider where I (hould lodge him j
and that I might do well for him, and yet be perfeftly
eafy myfelf, I m^de a little tent for him in the vacant
place between my two fortifications, in the infide of
the laft, and in the outfide of the firft : and as there
was a door or entrance there into my cave, I made a
formal framed door-cafe, and a door to it of boards,
and fet it up in the paffage, a little within the entrance ;
and caufing the door to open on the infide, I barred
it up in the night, taking in my ladders too ; -fo that
Friday could no way come at me in the infide of my
innermoft wall, without making fo much noife in
getting over, that it muft needs awaken me ; for my
firft wall had now a complete roof over it of longj
poles, covering all my tent, and leaning up to the
fide of the hill, which was again laid crofs with fmaH

S 4 ftick^

Hi

364 ^^^2 ^^^ ADVENTURES

(licks inftead of laths, and then thatched over a great
thicknefs with the rice-ftraw, which was ftrong like
reeds ; and at the hole or place which was left to ga
in or out by the ladder, I had placed a kind of trap-
door, which if it had been attempted on the out*
fide, would not have opened at all, but would have
fallen down, and made a great noife ; and as to wea-
pons, I took them all into my fide every night.

But I needed none of all this precaution j for never
man had a more faithful, loving, fincere fervant than
Friday was to me ; without paffions, fuUennefs, or
defigns ; perfectly obliging and engaging ; his very
affedions were tied to me, like thofe of a child to a
father ; and I dare fay, he would have facrificed his
life for the faving mine, upon any occafion whatfo-
eyer : the many teftimonies he gave me of this, put
it out of doubt ; and foon convinced me, that I
needed to ufe no precautions as to my fafety on his
account.

This frequently gave me occafion to obferve, and
that with wonder, that, however it had pleafed God^
in his providence, and in the government of the
works of his hands, to take from fo great a part of
the world, of his creatures, the beft ufes to which
their faculties and the powers of their fouls are
adapted ; yet that he has beflowed upon them the
fame powers, the fame reafon, the fame affedions,
the fame fentiments of kindnefs and obligation, the
fame paffions and refentments of wrongs, the fame
fenfe of gratitude, fincerity, fidelity, and all the
capacities of doing good, and receiving good, that
he has given to us j and that when he pleafes to offer
them occafions of exerting thefe, they are as ready,

i^ay.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ^6$

nay, more ready to apply them to the right ufes for
which they were bellowed, than we are. And this
made me very melancholy fometimes, in refleding,
as the feveral pccafions prefented, how mean a ufe
we make of all thefe, even though we have thefe
powers enlightened by the great lamp of inftruQiiofl,
the Spirit of God, and by the knowledge of his word,
added to our underftanding ; and why it has pleafed
God to hide the like faving knowledge from fo many
millions of fouls, who, if one might judge by this
poor favage, would make a much better ufe of it thau
we did.

From hence I fometimes was led too far to invade
the fovereignty of Providence; and, as it were,
arraign the juftice of fo arbitrary a difpofition of
things, that Ihould hide that light from fome, and
teveal it to others, and yet expeft a like duty from
both: but I fliut it up, and checked my thoughts
with this conclufion: Firft, that we do not know
by what light and law thefe fliould be condemned ;
but that as God was neceffarily, and by the nature
of his being, infinitely holy and juft, fo it could not
be, but that if thefe creatures were all fentenced to
abfence from himfelf, it was on account of finning
againft that light, which, as the fcripture fays, was
a law to themfelves, and by fuch rules as their con-
fciences v^ould acknowledge to be juft, though the
foundation was not difcovered to us : and, fecondly,
that ftill, as we are all clay in the hand of the potter,
no veffel could fay to him, why haft thou formed me
thus ?

But to return to my new companion : I was greatly
delighted with him, and made it my bufmefs to teach

him

266 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

him every thing that was proper to make him ufefo^
handy, and helpful; but efpecially to make him
fpeak, and underftand me when I fpake: and he
was the apteft fcholar that ever was ; and particularly
wap fp merry, fo conftantly diligent, and fo pleafed
when he eould but underftand me, or make me uiv-
(^erftand him, that it was very pleafant to me to talk
to him : And now my life began to be fo eafy,- that
J began to fay to myfelf, that could I but have been
fafe from more favages, I cared not if I was never
tp remove from the place while I lived.

After I had been two or three days returned to my
caftle, I thought that, in order to bring Friday off
from his horrid way of feeding, and from the relifh
of a cannibal's ftomach, I ought to let him tafte other
ilefli ; fo I took him out with me one morning to the
woods : I went, indeed, intending to kill a kid out
of my own flock, and bring it home and drefs it :
but as I was going, I faw a fhe-goat lying down in
the fhade, and two young kids fitting by her: I
catched hold of Friday ^ Hold, faid I, ftand ftill ; and
made figns to him not to ftir ; immediately I pre-
fented my piece, fliot and killed one of the kids. The
poor creature, who had, at a diftance indeed, feen
me kill the favage his enemy, but did not know or
could imagine how it was done, was fenfibly fur-
prifed, trembled and (hook, and looked fo amazed,
that I thought he would have funk down : he did not
fee the kief I had (hot at, or perceive I had killed it,
but ripped up his waiftcoat to feel if he was not
wounded ; and, as I found, prefently thought I was
refolved to kill him ; for he came and kneeled down
to me, and, embracing my knees, fj^id a great many

things

OF ROBmSON CRtJSbE, 2S7

^ings I did not underftand; but I could eafily fcb
that his meaning was to pray me not to kill him.

libon found a way to convince him, that I would
do him no harm; and taking him up by the hand,
laughed at him, and pointing to the kid which I had
killed, beckoned to him to run and fetch it, which
he did ; and while he was wondering and looking
to fee how the creature was killed, I loaded my gun
again, and by and by I faw a great fowl, like an
hawk, fit upon a tree within Ihot : fo, to let Friday
sunderftand a little what I would do, I called him to
pie again, pointing at the fowl, which was indeed a
parrot, though I thought it had been an hawk ; I
fay, pointing to the parrot, and to my gun, and to
the ground under the parrot, to let him fee I would
ynake him fall, I made him underftand that I wpuld
flioot and kill that bird ; accordingly I fired, and bid
him look, and immediately he faw the parrot fall.
He flood like one frighted again, notwithftanding all
that I had faid to him ; and I found he was the more
amazed, becaufe he did not fee me put any thing
into the gun ; but thought there muft be fome won-
derful fund of death and deftrudion in that thihg,
^ble to kill man, bcaft, bird, or any thing near or
far off: for the aftoniihment this created in him
was fuch, as could not wear off for a long time ; and
J believe, if I would have let him, he would have
worfhipped me and my gun : as for the gun itfelf, he
would not fo much as touch it for feveral days after;
but would fpeak to it, and talk to it, as if it had
anfwered him, when he was by himfelf ; which, as
I afterwards learned of him, was to defire it not to
kill him.

WeU:

26S LIFE AND ADVENTURES

Well : after his aftonifhment was a little over at
this, I pointed to him to run and fetch the bird I
had fhot, which he did, but (laid fome time ; for the
parrot, not being quite dead, had fluttered a good
way off from the place where fhe fell ; however he
found her, took her up, and brought her to mej
and, as I had perceived his ignorance about the gun
before, I took this advantage to charge the gun again,
and not let him fee me do it, that I might be ready
for any other mark that might prefent ; but nothing
more offered at that time : fo I brought home the
kid ; and the fame evening I took the fltin off, and
cut it out as well as I could j and having a pot for
that purpofe, I boiled or ftewed fome of the flefli,
and made fome very good broth : after I had began
to eat fome, I gave fome to my man, who feemed
very glad of it, and liked it very well ; but that
which was ftrangeft to him, was, to fee me eat fait
with it. He made a fign to me that the fait wa&
not good to eat ; and putting a little into his own
mouth, he feemed to naufeate it, and would fpit and
fputter at it, wafliing his mouth with frefli water
siter it ; on the other hand, I took fome meat in
my mouth without fait, and I pretended to fpit and
fputter for want of fait, as faft as he had done at the
fait ; but it would not do, he would never care for
fait with meat, or in his broth ; at leaft, not a great
while, and then but a very little.

Having thus fed him with boiled meat and broth,
I was refolved to feaft him the next day with roafting
a piece of the kid : this I did by hanging it before
the fire in a firing, as I had fecn many people do in
Englandy fetting two poles up, one on each fide the
- fire^

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 269

fire, and on6 acrofs on the top, and tying the firing
to the crofs ftick, letting the meat turn continually :
this Friday admired very much ; but when he came to
tafte the flefti, he took fo many ways to tell me how
well he liked it, that I could not but underftand him;
and at laft he told me he would never eat man's, fieih
any more, which I was very glad to hear.

The next day I fet him to work to beating fomc
corn out, and fifting it in the manner I ufed to do,
as I obferved before ; and he foon underftood how
to do it as well as I, efpecially after he had feen what
the meaning of it was, and that it was to make bread
of; for after that I let him fee me make my bread,
and bake it too ; and in a little time Friday was able
to do all the work for me, as well as I could do it
myfelf.

I began now to confider, that having two moutl^s
to feed inftead of one, I mufl provide more ground
for my harveft, and plant a larger quantity of corn
than I ufed to do ; fo I marked out a larger piece of
land, and began the fence in the fame manner as
before, in which Friday not only worked very wil-
lingly, and very hard, but did it very cheerfully;^
and I told him what it was for, that it was for com
to make more bread, becaufe he was now with me,
and that I might have enough for him and myfelf
too : he appeared very fenfible of that part, and let
me know, that he thought I had much more labour
upon me on his account, than I had for myfelf, and
that he would work the harder for me, if I would
tell him what to do.

This was the pleafanteft year of all the life I led
in this place : Friday began to talk pretty well, and

underftand

^7^ tlFE Ai^D ADVENTCRB^

tinderftand the names of almofl every thing I bad
occafion ta call for, and of every place I had to fend
him to, and talk a great deal to me ; fo that, in fliort^
I began now to have fome ufe for my tongue again^
which indeed J had very little occafion for before;
that is to fay, about fpeech* Befides the pleafure of
talking to him, I had a Angular fatisfaftion in the fel-»
low himfelf ; his fimple unfeigned honefty, appeared
to me more and more every day, and I began really
to love the creature ; and on his fide, I believe he
loved me more than it was poffible for him ever ta
love any thing before.

I had a mind once to try If he had any hankering
inclination to his own country again ; and having
taught him Englijh fo well, that he cdtild anfwer
me almoft any queftions, I aflced him, whether the
nation that he belonged to never conquered in battle?
At which he fmiled, and faid, Yes, yes, we always
fight the better ; that is, he meant, always get the
better in fight ; and fo we began the following diC.
courfe. You always fight the better ! faid I : How
come you to be taken prifoner then, Friday ?

Friday. My nation beat much for all that.

Majter. How beat ? if your nation beat them,
how came you to be taken ?

Friday. They more than my nation in the place
where me was ; they take one, two, three, and me :
My nation over beat them in the yonder place, where
me no was j there my nation take one, two, great
thoufand.

Majkr. But why did not your fide recover you
from the hands of your enemies then ?

Friday^

OP ROBINSON CRUSOE* 27 X

Friday. They run one, two, three, and me, and
make go in the canoe ; my nation have no canoe
that time.

Mq/len Well, Friday^ and what does your nation
do with the men they take? Do they carry them
away, and eat them as thefe did ?

Friday. Yes, my nation eat mans too, eat all up*

Mq/ier. Where do they carry them ?

Friday. Go to other place where they think.

Majien Do they come hither ?

Friday. Yes, yes, they come hither ; come other
clfe place.

Majier. Have you been here with them ?

Friday* Yes, I been here [points to the N. W. fide
of the ifland, which, it feems, was their fide].

By this I underftood, that my man Friday had for-
merly been among the favages, who ufed to come on
ihore on the farther part of the ifland, on the faid
man-eating occafions that he was now brought for ;
and fome time after, ^when I took the courage to carry
him to that fide, being the fame I formerly mentioned,
he prefently knew the place, and told me, he was
there once when they eat up twenty men, two women,
and one child : he could not tell twenty in Englijhj
but he numbered them by laying fo many ftones ia
a row, and pointed to me to tell them over.

I have told this paffage, becaufe it introduces
what follows; — ^that after I had' had this difcourfe
with him, I aflced him. How far it was from our
ifland to the fliore, and whether the canoes were not
often lofl:? He told me there was no danger, no
canoes ever lofl ; but that after a little way out to

fea>

ty2 LtTZ AND ADVENTURES

fea, there was a current, and a wind always one way
in the morning, the other in the afternoon*

This I underftand to be no more than the fets of
the tide, as going out, or coming in; but I after-
wards underftood it was occafioned by the great
draught and reflux of the mighty river Oroomque ;
in the mouth of which river, as I thought after-
wards, our ifland lay ; and that this land, which I
perceived to the W. and N. W. was the great Ifland
Trinidady on the north point of the mouth of the
river : I aflced Friday a thoufand quefl:ions about the
country, the inhabitants, the fea, the coafl:, and what
nations were near : he told me all he knew, with the
greatefl: opennefs imaginable : I aflted him the nanies
of the feveral nations of his fort of people, but could
get no other name than Caribs ; from whence I eafily
^uiderfl:ood, that thefe were the Caribees^ which our
maps place on that part oi America vf\i\ch reaches
fi'om the mouth of the river Oroomque to Guinea^ and
onwards to §/• Martha : he told me, that up a great
way beyond the moon, that was, beyond the fetting
of the moon, which mufl: be W. from their country,
there dwelt white-bearded men, like me, and pointed
to my great whiflcers, which I mentioned before; and
that they had killed much mans, that was his word :
by which I underfl:ood he meant the Spaniards^ whofe
cruelties in America had b^en fpread over the whole
countries, and were remembered by all the nations
from father to fon.

I enquired if he could tell me how I might come
from this ifland, and get among thofe white men:
he tolcf me. Yes, yes, I might go in two canoe j I

could

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 2f$

could not underftand what he meant by two canoe ;
till at laft, with great difficulty, I found he meant,
that it muft be in a large great boat as big as two
canoes.

This part of Friday^s difcourfe began to relilh with
me very well ; and from this time I entertained fome
hopes, that one time or other I might find an opportu-
nity to make my efcape from this place, and that this
poor favage might be a means to help me to do it.

During the long time that Friday had now been
with me, and that he began to fpeak to me, and un-
derftand me, I was not wanting to lay a foundation
of religioiis knowledge in his mind ; particularly,* I
afked him one time. Who made him ? The poor crea-
ture did not underftand me at all, but thought I had
afked who was his father : but I took it by another
handle, and afked him, Who made the fea, the ground
he walked on, and the hills and woods ? He told
me, it was one old Benamuckee that lived beyond all :
he could defcribe nothing of this great perfon, but
that he was very old j much older, he faid, than the
fea or the land, than the moon or the ftars. I afked
him then. If this old perfon had made all things, why
did not all things worfhip him I He looked very grave,
and with a perfefl: look of innocence, faid, all things
faid O! to him. I afked him if the people who die
in his country, went away any-where ? He faid, yes,
they all went to Benamuckee. Then I afked him, whe-
ther thofe they eat up went thither too ? he faid, Yes.

From thefe things I began to inftrufl: him in the
knowledge of the true God. I told him, that the
great Maker of all things lived there, pointing up to-
wards heaven : that he governs the world by the fame

Vol. I. T power

2^4 ^^^^ ^N^ At)VENTtJRES

power and providence by v/l^ich he made It j that he
"Was omnipotent, could do every thing for us, give
every thing to us, take every thing from us 5 and
thus, by degrees, I opened his eyes. He liftened
with great attention, and received with pleafure the
notion of Jesus Christ being fent to redeem us, and
of the manner of maldng our prayers to God, and
his being able to hear us, even into heaven* He told
me one day, that if our God could hear us up be-
yond the fun, he muft needs be a greater God than,
their Benamuckee^ who lived but a little way off, and
yet could not hear, till they went up to the great
mountains, where he dwelt, to fpeak to him. I
afked him, if ever he went thither to fpeak to him ?
He faid. No, they never went that were young men ;
none went thither but the old men ; whom he called
their Oowookakee^ that is, as I made him explain it
to me, their religious, or clergy ; and that they went
to fay 1 (fo he called faying prayers) and then came
back, and told them what Benamuckee faid. By this
I obferved that there i» prieftcraft even amongft the
moft blinded ignorant Pagans in the world ; and the
policy of making a fecret religion, in order to pre-
ferve the veneration of the people to the clergy, is not
only to be found in the Rmian^ but perhaps among
all religions in the worlds even among the moft bru-
tiih and barbarous favages.

I endeavoured to dear np this fraud to my man
Friday ; and told him, that the pretence of their old
men going up to the mountains to fay O ! to their god
Benamuckee^ was a cheat ; and their bringing word
from thence what he faid, was much more fo ; that
if they met with any anfwer, or fpoke with any one
a there.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ^J $

there, it muft be with an e\dl fpirit : and then I en-
tered into a long difcourfe wlthi him about the devil,
the original of him, his rebellion againft God, his
enmity to m^n, the reafon of it, his fetting himfelf
up in the dark parts of the world to be worfhipped
inftead of God, and as God, and the many ftrata-
gems he made ufe of to delude mankind to their
ruin ; how he had a fecret accefs to our paffions and
to our afFedions, to adapt his fnares fo to our inclina-
tions, as to caufe us even to be our own tempters, and
to run upon our own deftruotions by our own choice.

' I found it was not fo eafy to imprint right notions
in his mind about the devil, as it was about the being
of a God : nature affifted all my arguments to evi-
dence to him even the neceffity of a great firft caufe,
and over-ruling governing power, a fecret direfting
Providence, and of the equity and juftice of paying
homage to him that made us, and the like : but there
appeared nothing of all this in the notion of an evil
fpirit ; of his original, his being, his nature, and
above all, of his inclination to do evil, and to draw
us In to do fo too : and the poor creature puzzled me
once in fuch a manner, by a queftion merely natural
and innocent, that I fcarce knew what to fay to him.
I had been talking a great deal to him of the power of
God, his omnipotence, his dreadful averfion to fm,
his being a confuming fire to the workers of iniquity;
how, as he had made us all, he could deftroy us,
and all the world, in a moment j and he liftened
with great ferioufnefs to me all the while.

After this, I had been telling him how the devil

was God's enemy in the hearts of men, and ufed all

his malice and (kill to defeat the good defigns of Pro-

T 2 vidence.

1 84 J^II^E AND ADVEl^TXJRES

himfelf; the fevage converted, and the inftrument
caft away !

H^ faida great many good things to them both,
and then recommended them, in a few words, to
God's goodpefs ; gave them the benedidion again,
I reputing every thing to them in Englijh : And thus
ended the ceremony. \ think it was the moft plea-
fant, agreeable day to me, that ever I paffed in my
whole life.

But my clergyman had not done yet ; his thoughts
hung continually upon the converfion of the 37 fa-
vages ? and fain he would have flaid upon the iflan^
to have undertaken it: but I. convinced him, Firft,
that his undertaking was impracticable in itfelf ; and
fecoi^dly, that, perhaps, I could put it into a way of
being done, in his abfence, to his fatisfaftion ; qf
which by and by. ^

Having thus brought the affair of the ifland to a
narrow compaf^, I was preparing to go on board the
ihip, when the young man, whom I had taken out
of the famiflied fliip's company, came to me, and
told me, he underftood I had a clergyman with me,
and that I had caufed the Englijhmen to be married to
the fayages, whom they called wives ; that he had a
match too, which hq defired might be finifhed before
J went, between two Chriftians ; which he hoped
would not be difagreeable to me.

I knew this muft be the young woman who was
his mother's fervant, for there was no other Chriflian
woman on the ifland ; fq I began to perfuade him
not to do any thing of that kind rafhly, or becaufe
he found himfelf in this folitary circumftance : I re-
prefented, that he had fome CQ^flderable fubftance in

the

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. >85

die world, and good friends, as I underftood by him*
felf, and by his maid alfo ; that the maid was not only
poor, and a fervant, but was unequal to him, flie
being twenty-fix or twenty-feven years old, and he
not above feventeen or eighteen; that he might very
probably, with my affiftance, make a remove from
this wildernefs, and come into his own country again;
and that then it would be a thoufand to one but he
would repent his choice ; and the diflike of that cir-
cumftance might be difadvantageous to both. I was
going to fay more, but he interrupted me, fmiling ;
and told me, with a great deal of modefty, that I
miftpok in my gueffes ; that he had nothing of
that kind in his thoughts, his prefent circum-
ftances being melancholy and difconfolate enough ;
and he was very glad to hear, that I had fome
thoughts of putting them in a way to fee their
own country again ; and that nothing fhould have
fet him upon flaying there, but that the voyage I
was going was fo exceeding long and hazardous, and
would carry him quite out of the reach of all his
friends ; that he had nothing to defire of me, but
that I would fettle him in fome little property in the
ifland where he was ; give him a fervant or two, and
fome few neceffaries, and he \you,ld fettle himfelf
here like a planter, waiting the good time when, if
ever I returned to England^ I would redeem him,
jind hoped I would not be unmindful of him when I
came to England ; that he would give me fome letters
to his friends in London^ to let them know how good
I had been to him, and what part of the world, and
what cirqumftances I had left him in ; and he pro-
piifed me, that whenever I redeemed him, the plan-
tation.

^78 JLIFE AND ADVENTURES

explained to him, as well aa.I could, why our bleffed
Redeemer topk not on hiraLthe nature of angels, but
the feed oi Abraham^ and. how, forJ:hat reafon, the
fallen angels had no fhare in the redemption ; that he
came only to the loft fheep of the houfe of Ifrael^ and
the like.

I had, God knows, mcTre fmcerity than knowledge,
in all the methods I took for this poor creature's in-*^
ftruftion ; and muft acknowledge, what f believe all
that aft upon the fame principle will find, that in lay-
ing things open to him, I really informed and in-
ftrufted myfelf in many things, that either I did not
know, or had not fully confidered before ; but which
occurred naturally to my mind, upon my fearching
into them for the information of this poor favage ;
and I had more affeclion in my enquiry after things
upon this occafion, than ever I felt before : fo that
whether this ^ poor wild wretch was the better for me
or no, I had great reafon to be thankful that ever he
came to me : my grief fat lighter upon me, my ha-
bitation grew comfortable to me beyond meafure;
and when I reflefted, that In this folitary life, which I
had been confined to, I had not only beeln moved my-
felf to look up to Heaven,^ and' to feek to the hand
that brought me thither, but was now to be made an
inftrument, under Providence, to fave the life, and,
for aught I know, the foul of a poor favage, and
bring him to the true knowledge of religion, and of
the Chriftian doftrine, that he might know Christ'
Jesus, to know whom is life eternal ; I fay, when I
reflefted upon all thefe things, a fecret joy ran through
evety part of my foul, and I frequently rejoiced

that

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 279

that ever I was brought to this place, which I had
often thought the moft dreadful of all afflidions that
could poffibly h^ve befallen me.

In this thankful frame I continued all the remainder
of my time; and the converfation which employed the
hours between Friday and me was fuch, as made the
three years which we lived there together perfeftly
and completely happy, if any fuch thing as complete
happinefs can be found in a fublunary ftate : the fa-
vage was now a good Chriftian, a much better than
I ; though I have reafon to hope, and blefs God for
It, that we were equally penitent, and comforted re*
ftored penitents : we had here the word of God to
read, and no farther off from his Spirit to inftruft
than if we had been in England.

I always applied myfelf to reading the Scripture, and
to let him know, as well as I could, the meaning of
what I read ; and he again, by his ferious enquiries
and queftions, made me, as I faid before, a much
betterfcholarin the Scripture knowledge, than 1 fhould
ever have been by my own private reading : another
thing I cannot refrain from obferving here alfo, from
experience, in this retired part of my life ; njiz. how
infinite and inexpreffible i blefling it is, that the
knowledge of God, and of the dodtrine of falvatfou
by Christ Jesus, is fo plainly laid down in the
word of God, fo eafy to be received and underflood,
that as the bare reading the Scripture made me capable
of underftanding enough of my duty to carry me di-
redly on to the great work of fincere repentance for
my fiiis, and laying hold of a Saviour for life and
falvation, to a ftated reformation in praftice, and
obedience to all God's commands, and this without
T 4 any

/

28o LIFE AND ADVENTURES

■■.•■. ^

any teacher or inftruSor, (I mean, human) fo the
plain inftruftion fufficiently ferved to the enlightening
this favage creature, and bringing him to be fuch
^ Chriftian, as I have known few equal to him in
my life.

As to the difputes, wranglings, ftrife and conten-
tion, which has happened in the v/orld about religion,
whether niceties in dodrines, or fchemes of , church
government, they were all perfeftly ufelefs to us, as,
for 'aught I can yet fee, they have been to all the reft
in the world: we had the fure guide to heaven, viz.
the 'word of God ; and we had, bleffed be God !
comfortable views of the Spirit of God, teaching and
lAftrufliing us by his word, leading us into all truth,
and making us both willing and obedient to the in-
ftruftion of his word : and I cannot fee the leaft ufe
that the greateft knowledge of the difputed points in,
religion, which have made fuch confufions in the
world,' would have been to us, if we could have ob-
tained it-T-But I muft go on with the hiftorical part
of things, and take every part in its order.

After Friday and I became more intimately ac-
quainted, and that he could underftand almoft all I
faid to him, and fpeak fluently, though in broken
Englijhy to me, I acquainted him with my own ftory,
or at leaft fo much of it as related to my coming into
the place ; how I had lived there, and how long : I
let him into the myftery (for fuch it was to him) of
gunpowder and bullets, and taught him how to flioot :
I gave him a knife, which he was wonderfully de-
lighted with ; and I made him a belt with a frog
hanging to it, fuch as in England we wear hangers in ;
and in the frog, inftead of an hanger, I gave him

. an

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, a8l

;4n hatchet, which was not only as good a weapon
in fome cafes, but much more ufeful upon many
occafions.

I defcribed to him the countries of Europe^ and
particularly England^ which I came from ; how we
lived, how we worfliipped God, how we behaved to
one another, and how we traded in fliips to all the
parts of the world : I gave him an account of the
wreck which I had been on board of, and fliewed
him, as near as I could, the place where Ihe lay ; but
flie was all beaten in pieces long before, and quite
gone,

I fhewed him the ruins of our boat, which we loft
when we efcaped, and which I could not ftir with my
whole ftrength then, but was now fallen almoft all to
pieces. Upon feeing this boat, Friday flood mufing a
great while, and faid nothing ; I afked him what it
was he ftudied upon ? At laft, fays he. Me fee fiich
boat like come to place at my nation.

I did not underftand him a good while ; but at laft,
when I had examined further into it, I underftood by
him, that a boat, fuch as that had been, came on
fliore upon the country where he lived ; that is, as
he explained it, was driven thither by ftrefs of wea-
ther. I presently imagined, that feme European fliip
muft have been caft away upon their coaft, and the
boat might get loofe, and drive afliore ; but was fo
dull, that I never once thought of men making
efcape from a wreck thither, much lefs whence they
might come ; fo I only enquired after a defcription of
the boat.

Friday defcribed the boat to me well enough ; but

brought me better to underftand him, when he added,,

I with

a82 MFE AND ADV£NTURl!S

with fome warmth. We fave the white mans from
drown : then I prefently alked him, if there were any
white mans, as he called them, in the boat ? Yes, he
faid, the boat full of white mans : I afked him, how
many? he told upon his fingers feventeen: I afked
him then, what became of them ? he told me. They
live, they dwell at my nation.

This put new thoughts into my head again ; for I
prefeiltly imagined, that thefe might be the men be-
longing to the fhip that was caft away in fight of my
ifland, as I now call it ; and who, after the fhip was
ftruck on the rock, and they faw her inevitably
lofl, had faved themfelves in their boat, and
were landed upon that wild fhore among the fa*
vages.

Upon this I enquired of him more critically, what
was become of them? He afTured me they lived ftill
there, that they had been there about four years, that
the favages let them alone, and gave them victuals to
eat. I afked him, how it came to pafs they did not
kill them, and eat them ? he faid. No, they make
brother with them : that is, as I underflood him, a
truce : and then he added. They eat no mans but
when make the war fight : that is to fay, they never
eat any men, but fuch as come to fight with them,
and are taken in battle.

It was after this fome confiderable time, that being
on the top of the hill, at the eafl fide of the ifland,
from whence, as I have faid, I had in a clear day
difcovered the main or continent of America ; Friday ^
the weather being very ferine, looks very earneflly
towards the mainland, and in a. Kind of furprife falls
a jumping and dancing, and call^ out to me, for I was

at

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. oRj

at fome diftance from him : I aflced him what was the
matter? O joy! fays he, O glad! there fee my.
country, there my nation 1

I obferved an extraordinary fenfe of pleafure ap-
peared in his face, and his eyes fparkled, and his
countenance difcovered a ftrange eagernefs, as if he
had a mind to be in his own country again ; and thi«
abfcrvation of mine put a great many thoughts into
me ; which made me at firft not fo eafy about my
new man Friday as I was before ; and I made no
doubt, but that if Friday could get back to his own
nation again, he would not only forget all his reli-
gion, but all his obligations to me ; and would be
forward enough to give his countrymen an account
of me, and come back perhaps with an hundred or
tvvo of them, and make a feaft upon me, at which he
knight be as merry as he ufed to be with thofe of his
enemies, when they were taken in war.

But I wronged the poor honeft creature very much,
for which I was very forry afterwards : however, as
my jealoufy increafed, and held me fome weeks, I was
a little more circumfpefl:, and not fo familiar ^nd
kind to him as before ; in which I was certainly in
the wrong too, the honeft grateful creature having
no thought about it, but what confifted of the beft
principles, both as a religious Chriftian, and as a
grateful friend ; as appeared afterwards, to my full
fatisfaftion.

Whilft my jealoufy of him lafted, you may be fure
I was every day pumping him, to fee if he would dit
cover any of the new thoughts which I fufpefted
were in Jiim ; but I found every thing he faid was fo
honeft, and fo innocent, that I could find nothing to

nourilh"

284 tIFE AND ADVENTURES

nourifh my fufpiclon; and, in fpite of all my
uneafinefs, he made me at laft entirely his own
again; nor did he in the leaft perceive that I
was uneafy ; and therefore I could not fufpeft him
of deceit.

One day, walking up the fame hill, but the wea-
ther being- hazy at fea, fo that we could not fee the
continent, I called to him, and faid, Friday^ do not
you wifh yourfelf in your own country, your own
nation ? Yes, he faid, I be much O glad to be at my
own nation. What would you do there ? faid I :
would you turn wild again, eat men's flefli again, and
be a favage as you were before? He looked full of •
concern, and (haking his head, faid. No, no, Friday
tell them to live good, tell them to pray God, tell
them to eat corn-bread, cattle-flefli, milk, no eat man
again. Why then, faid I to him, they will kill you, '
He looked grave at that, and then faid. No, they no
kill me, they willing love learn : he meant by this,
they would be willing to learn. He added, they
learned much of the bearded mans that came in the
boat. Then I afked him, if he would go back to them ?
He fmiled at that, and told me he could not fwim fo
far. I told him I would make a canoe for him. He
told me he would go, if I would go with him. I go !
faid I, why they will eat me if I come there. No, no,
fays he. Me make them no eat you, me make them
much love you : he meant he would tell them how I
had killed his enemies and faved his life, and fo he
would make them love me. Then he told me, as well
as he could, how kind they were to feventeen white
men, or bearded men, as he called them, who came
on fhore in diftrefs.

From

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. Ct,S$

From this time, I confefs, I had a mind to ven-
ture over, and fee if I could. poffibly join with thefe
bearded men, who, I made no doubt, were Spaniards
or Portnguefe; not doubting but, if I could, we might
find fome method to efcape from thence, being upon
the continent, and a good company together, better
than I could from an ifland forty miles oflf the fliore,
and alone without help. So, after fome days, I
took Friday to work again, by way of difcourfe;
and told him, I would give him a. boat to go back
to his own nation ; and accordingly I carried him to
my frigate, which lay on the other fide of the ifland;
and having cleared it of water (for I always kept it
funk in the water), I brought it out, fhewed it him,
and we both went into it.

I found he was a moft dexterous fellow at ma-
naging it, he would make it go ajmofl: as fwift and
fafl again as I could ; fo when he was in, I faid to
him. Well, now Friday j fhall we go to your nation?
He looked very dull at my faying fo, which, it feems,
was becaufe he thought the boat too fmall to go fo
far. I told him then I had a bigger : fo the next day
I went to the place where the firfl: boat lay which I
had made, but which I could not get into the water ;
he faid that was big enough ; but then, as I had
taken no care of it, and it had lain two or three-and-
twenty years there, the fun had fplit and dried it,
that it was in a manner rotten. Friday told me, fuch
a boat would do very well, and would carry * much
* enough vittle, drink, bread : ' that was his way of
talking.

Upon the whole, I was by this time fo fixed upon
my defign of going over with him to the continent,

that

l86 X-IfE AND ADVENTURES

that I told him we would go and make one as big zs
that, and he fhould go home in it. He anfwered
not one word, but looked very grave and fad. I
a(ked him, what was the matter with him ? He alked
me again thus. Why you angry mad with Friday ?
what me done ? I afked him what he meant ? I told
him I was not angry with him at all : No angry ! no
angry ! fays he, repeating the words feveral times.
Why fend Friday home away to my nation ? Why,
faid I, Friday^ did you not fay you wilhed you were
there? Yes, yes, fays he, wifli be both there; no
wifh Friday there, no mafter there. In a word, he
would not think of going there without me. I go
there, Friday ! faid I, what fliould I do there ? He
turned very quick upon me at this : You do great
deal much good, fays he, you teach wild mans be
good, fober, tame mans ; you tell them know God,
pray God, and live new life. Alas, Friday^ faid I,
thou knoweft not what thou fayeft ; I am but an
ignorant man myfelf. Yes, yes, fays he, you teechee
me good, you teechee them good. No, no, Friday^
faid I, you fhall go without me ; leave me here to
live by myfelf, as I did before. He looked confufed
again at that word, and running to one of the hat-
chets which he ufed to wear, he takes it up haftily,
and gives it me. What muft I do with this ? faid I
to him : You take kill Friday y fays he. What muft I
kill you for ? faid I again. He returns very quick.
What you fend Friday away for ? Take kill Friday y
no fend Friday away. This he fpoke fo earneftly,
that I faw tears ftand in his eyes. In a word, I fo
plainly difcovered the utmoft affedion in him to me,
and a firm refolution in him, that I told him then,

and

LyM44-^ /y .y/,'fA.tn/.

«•./ /f ,^4'*a,H^,

/l.////^-.y . t/i'/r/o .;.,<' 6vJrJ'u.if.;UnA' Tn:,i./t//y .

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ag/

and often after, that I would never fend him away
from me, if he was willing to flay with me.

Upon the whole, as I found by all his difcourfe a
fettled affeaion to me, and that nothing fliould part
him from me, fo I found all the foundation of his de-
fire to go to his own country was laid in his ardent
aflfeftion to the people, and his hopes of my doing
" them good ; a thing, which as I had no notion of
myfelf, fo I had not the lead thought, or intention,
or defire of undertaking it : but ftill I found a ftrong
inclination to my attempting an efcape, as above,
founded on the fuppofition gathered from the former
difcourfe; viz. that there were feventeen bearded
men there : and therefore, without any delay, I went
to work with Friday^ to find out a great tree proper
to fell, and make a large periapia or canoe, to un-
dertake the voyage. There were trees enough in the
ifland to have built a little fleet, not oi periaguas and
canoes only, but even of good large veflils : but the
main thing I looked at, was to get one fo near the
water, that we might launch it when it was made,
to avoid the miflake I committed at firfl.

At lafl Friday pitched upon a tree ; for I found he
knew much better than I what kind of wood was
fittefl for it ; nor can I tell to this day what wood to
call the tree we cut down, except that it was very
like the tree we call fuflick, or between that and the
Nicaragua wood, for it was much of the fame colour
and fmell. Friday was for burning the hollow or
cavity of this tree out, to make it into a boat : but I
fhewed him hvow rather to cut it out with tools, which
after I fliewed him how to ufe, he did very handily;
and in about a month's hard labour we finifhed it,

and

285 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

and made it very handfome, efpecially when, with
our axes, which I fhewed him how to handle, we cut
and hewed the outfide into the true fliape of a boat.
After this, however, it coft us near a fortnight's time
to get her along, as it were inch by inch, upon great
rollers into the water: but when (he was in, (he would
have carried twenty men with great eafe.

When fhe was in the water, and though (he was
fo big, it amazed me to fee with what dexterity and
how fwift my man Friday could manage her, turn
her, and paddle her along ; fo I aflved him if he
would go, and if we might venture over in her ? Yes,
he faid, he venture over in her very well, though
great blow wind : however, I had* a farther defign
that he knew nothing of, . and that was to make a
mail and fail, and to fit her with an anchor and ca-
ble. As to a maft, that was eafy enough to get ; fo I
pitched upon a ftraightyoungcedar-tree, which I found
near the place, and which there was a great plenty of
in the ifland ; and I fet Friday to work to cut it down,
and gave him directions how to fhape and order it:
but as to the fail, that was my particular carej I knew
I had old fails, or rather pieces of old fails enough ;
but as I had them now twenty-fix years by me, and
had not been very careful to preferve them, not
imagining that I fhould ever have this kind of ufe
for them, I did not doubt but they were all rotten ;
and indeed moft of them were fo : however, I found
two pieces which appeared pretty good, and with thefe
I went to work, and with a great deal of pains, and
awkward tedious flltching (you may be fure) for
want of needles, I at length made a three-cornered
ugly thing, like what we call in England a fhoulder*

of.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 289

of-mutton fail, to go with a boom at bottom, and a
little fhort fprit at the top, fuch as ufually our fhips
long-boats fail with, and fuch as I beft knew how to
manage ; becaufe it was fuch an one as I ufed in the
boat in which I made my efcape from Barbary^ as re-
lated in the firft part of my ftory.

I was near two months performing this laft work ;
viz. rigging and fitting my maft and fails j for I
finiflied them very complete, making a fmall ftay,
and a fail or forefail to it, to aflift, if we fhould turn
to windward j and, which was more than all, I fixed
a rudder to the ftern of her, to fteer with ; and
though I was but a bungling fhipwright, yet as I
knew the ufefulnefs, and even neceflityof fuch a thing,
I applied myfelf with fo much pains to do it, that at
laft I brought it to pafs, tho% confidering the many
dull contrivances I had for it that failed, I think it
coft me almoft as much labour as making the boat.

After all this was done, I had my man Friday to
teach as to what belonged to the navigation of my
boat ; for tho* he knew very well how to paddle the
canoe, he knew nothing what belonged to a fail and
a rudder, and was the more amazed when he faw me
work the boat to-and-again in the fea by the rudder,
and how the fail gybed, and filled this way or that
way, as the courfe we failed changed ; I fay, when
he faw this, heftood like one aftonifhed and amazed:
however, with a little ufe, I made all thefe things fa-
miliar to him, and he became an expert failor, except
that as to the compafs I could make hjjii underftand
rery little of that: on the other hand, as there was very
little cloudy weather, and feldom or never any fogs
in thofe parts, there was the lefs occafion for a com-

VoL. I. U pafs.

290 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

pafs, feeing the ftars v/ere always to be feen by night
and the fhore by day, except in the rainy feafons ;
and then nobody cared to ftir abroad, either by land
or fea.

I was now entered on the feven-and-twentieth year
of my captivity in this place ; though the three laft
years that I had this creature with me, ought rather
to be left out of the account, my habitation being
quite of another kind than in all the reft of my time.
I kept the anniverfary of my landing here with the
fame thankfulnefs to God for his mercies as at firft ;
and if I had fuch caufe of acknowledgment at firft, I
had much more fo now, having fuch additional tef-
timonies of the care of Providence 6ver me, and the
great hopes I had of being efiFedlually and fpeedily
delivered ; for I had an invincible impreflion upon
my thoughts, that my deliverance was at hand, and
that I fhould not be another year in this place : how-
ever, I went on with my huft>andry, digging, plant-
ing, and fencing, as ufual ; I gathered and cured
my grapes, and did every neceffary thing, as before*

The rainy feafon was in the mean time upon me,
when I kept more within doors than at other times ;
fo I had ftowed our new veflel as fecure as we could,
bringing her up into the creek, where, as I faid in
the beginning, I landed my rafts from the fhip ; and
haling her up to the fliore, at high-water mark, I
made my man Friday dig a little dock, juft big
enough for her to float in ; and then, when the tide
was out, we made a ftrong dam crofs the end of it,
to keep the water out ; and fo Ihe lay dry, as to the
tide, from the fea ; and to keep the rain ofl', we laid
-a great many boughs of trees fo thick, that fhe was

as

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 29I

as well thatched as an houfe ; and thus we waited for
the months of November and December^ in which I
defigned to make my adventure.

When the fettled feafon began to come in, as the
thought of my defign returned with the fair weather,
I was preparing daily for the voyage ; and the firft
thing I did was to lay up a certain quantity of provi-
fion, being the ftore for the voyage ; and intended, in
a week or a fortnight's time, to open the dock, and
launch out our boat : I was bufy one morning upon
fomething of this kind, when I called to Friday^ and
bid him go to the fea-fhore, and fee if he could find
a turtle or tortoife, a thing which we generally got
once a week, for the fake of the eggs, as well as the
flefli. Friday had not been long gone, when he came
running back, and flew over my outward wall, or
fence, like one that felt not the ground, or the fteps
he fet his feet on ; and before I had time to fpeak to
him, he cried out to me, O mafter ! O mafter ! O
for row ! O bad ! What's the matter, Friday^ faid I ?
O yonder there, fays he, one, two, three, canoe!
one, two, three! By this way of fpeaking I con-
cluded there were fix ; but on enquiry I found there
were but three. Well Friday^ faid I, do not be
frighted ; fo I heartened him up as well as I could.
However, I faw the poor fellow moft terribly feared }
for nothing ran in his head but that they were come
to look for him, and would cut him in pieces, and
eat him ; the poor fellow trembled fo, that I fcarce
knew what to do with him : I comforted him as well
as I could, and told him I was in as much danger as
he, and that they would eat me as well as him : But,
faid I, Friday^ we muft refolve to fight them ; Can

U 2 vou

292 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

you fight, Friday? Me fhoot, fays he, but there
come many great number. No matter for that, faid
I again, our guns will fright them that we do not kill.
So I afked him, whether, if I refolved to defend him,
he would defend me, and ftand by me, and do juft
as I bade him ? He faid. Me die, when you bid die,
mafter ; fo I went and fetched a good dram of rum,
and gave him ; for I had been fo good an hufband of
my rum, fhat I had a great deal left : when he had
drank it, I made him take the two fowling-pieces
which we always carried, and load them with large
fwan fhot as big as fmall piftol-bullets ; then I took
four mufquets, and loaded them with two flugs, and
five fmall bullets each ; and my two piftols I loaded
with a brace of bullets each : I hung my great fword,
as ufual, naked by my fide, and gave Friday his
hatchet.

' When I had thus prepared myfelf^ I took my per-
fpeftive-glafs, and went up to the fide of the hill,, to
fee what I could difcoverj and I found quickly, by
my glafs, that there were one-and-twenty favages,
three prifoners, and three canoes ; and that their
whole bufinefs feemed to be the triumphant banquet
upon thefe three human bodies ; a barbarous feaft
indeed, but nothing more than as I had obferved waa
ufual with them.

I obferved alfo, that they were landed, not where
they had done when Friday made his efcape, bul
nearer to my creek, where the fliore was low, and
where a thick wood came clofe almoft down to the fea:
this, with the abhorrence of the inhuman errand
thefe wretches came about, fo filled me with indig-
nation, that I came down again to Friday^ and told

him^

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 293

him, I was refolved to go down to them, and kill
them all ; and alked him if he would ftand by me. He
was now gotten over his fright, and his fpirits being
a little raifed with the dram I had given him, he was
very cheerful ; and told me, as before, he would
die when I bid die.

In this fit of fury, I took firft and divided the
arms which I had charged, as before, between us :
I gave Friday one piftol to flick in his girdle, and
three guns upon his fhoulder ; and I took one piftol,
and the other three, myfelf ; and in this pofture we
marched out ; I took a fmall bottle of rum in my
pocket, and gave Friday a large bag with more pow-
der and bullet ; and as to orders, I charged him to
keep clofe behind me, and not to ftir, fhoot, or do
any thing till I bid him ; and in the mean time, not
to fpeak a word : in this pofture I fetched a compafs
to my right hand of near a mile, as well to get over
the creek as to get into the wood ; fo that I might
come within fhot of them before I could be difcovered,
which I had feen by my glafs it was eafy to do.

While I was making this march, my former
thoughts returning, I began to abate my refolution ;
I do not mean, that I entertained any fear of their
number ; for as they were naked, unarmed wretches,
^tis certain I was fuperior to them ; nay, though I had
been alone : but it occurred to my thoughts, what
call, what occafion, much lefs what neceflity, I was
in to go and dip my hands in blood, to attack people
who had neither done or intended me any wrong, who,
as to me, were innocent, and whofe barbarous cuf-
toms were their own difafter, being in them a token
indeed of God's having left them, with the other

U 3 nations

294 ^^FE AND ADVENTURES

nations of that part of the world, to fuch ftupidity
and to fuch inhuman courfes ; but did not call me to
take upon me to be a judge of their aftions, much
lefs an executioner of his juftice ; that whenever he
thought fit, he would take the caufe into his own
hands, and by national vengeance punifh them for
national crimes ; but that in the mean time, it was
none of my bufmefs : that it was true, Friday might
juftify it, becaufe he was a declared enemy, and in a
ftate of war with thofe very particular people, and it
was lawful for him to attack them ; but I could not
fay the fame with refped to me, Thefe things were
fo warmly prefTed upon my thoughts all the way as I
went, that I refolvc d I would only go place myfelf
near them, that I might obferve their barbarous feaft,
and that I would act then as God Ihould direO: ; but
that unlefs fomething offered that was more a call to
me than yet I knew of, I would not meddle with
them.

With this refolution I entered the wood, ,and with
all poffible warinefs and filence (Friday following
clofe at my heels) I marched till I came to the fkirt
of the wood, on the fide which was next to them ;
only that one corner of the wood lay between me
and them : here I called foftly to Friday^ and (hew-
ing him a great tree, which was juft at the corner of
the wood, I bade him go to the tree, and bring me
word if he could fee there plainly what they were
doing : he did fo, and came immediately back to me,
and told me they might be plainly viewed there ; that
they were all about the fire, eating the flefh of one of
their prifoners ; and that another lay bound upon
the fand, a little from them, whom he laid they would

kill

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 295

kill next, and which fired the very foul within me.
He told me, it was not one of their nation, but one
of the bearded men whom he had told me of, who
came to their country in the boat. I was filled with
horror at the very naming the white-bearded man,
and, going to the tree, I faw plainly, by my glafs,
a white man, who lay -lipon the beach of the fea,
with his hands and his fe<&t tied with flags, or things
like rufhes ; and that he was an European^ and had
clothes on.

There was another tree, and a little thicket be-
yond it, about fifty yards nearer to them than the
place where I was, which, by going a little way
about, I faw I might come at undifcovered, and that
then I fhould be within half fhot of them ; fo I with-
held my paflSon, though I was indeed enraged to the
highefl degree j and going back about twenty paces,
I got behind fome buflies, which held all the way till
I came to the other tree, and then I came to a little
rifing ground, which gave me a full view of them, at
the diftance of about eighty yards.

I had now not a moment to lofe ; for nineteen of
the dreadful wretches fat upon the ground all clofe
huddled together, and had juft fent the other two to
butcher the poor Chriftian, and bring him, perhaps
limb by limb, to their fire ; and they were ftooped
down to untie the bands at his feet. I turned to Fri-
day ; Now, Friday^ faid I, do as I bid thee. Friday
faid, he would. Then, Friday^ faid I, do exaftly
as you fee me do; fail in nothing. So I fet down
one of the mufquets and the fowling-piece upon the
ground, and Friday did the like by his ; and with
the other raufquet I took my aim at the favages, bid-

U 4 ding

2g6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

ding him do the likq. Then afking him if he was
ready, he faid. Yes. Then fire at them, faid I j and
the fame moment I fired alfo.

Friday took his aim fo much better than I, that on
the fide that he fhot, he killed two of them, and
wounded three more ; and on my fide, I killed one,
and wounded two. They were, you may be fure, in
a dreadful confternation ; and all of them, who were
not hurt, jumped up upon their feet immediately,
but did not know which way to run, or which way
to look ; for they knew not from whence their de-
ftruftion came. Friday kept his eyes clofe upon me^
that as I had bid him, he might obferve what 1 did ; fo
as foon as the firft fhot was made, I threw down the
piece, and took up the fowling-piece, and Friday did
the like; he fees me cock, andprefent; he did the
fame again. Are you ready, Friday ? faid I. Yes,
fays he. Let fly then, faid I, in the name of God ;
and with that I firedagain among the amazed wretches,
and fo did Friday; and as our pieces were now loaden
with what I called fwan-fliot, or fmall piftol bullets,
we found only two drop ; but fo many were wounded,
that they ran about yelling and fcreaming like mad
creatures, all bloody, and miferably wounded moft
of them; whereof three more fell quickly after,
though not quite dead.

Now, Friday^ faid I, laying down the difcharged
pieces, and taking up the mufquet, which was yet
loaden, follow me, faid I ; which he did, with a
deal of courage ; upon which I rufhed out of the
v/ood, and fhewed myfelf, and Friday clofe at my foot :
as foon as I perceived they faw me, I fhouted as loud
as I could, and bade Friday do fo too; and running

as

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 297

as faftas I could, which by the way was not veryfaft,
being loaded with arms as I was, I made direfUy to-
wards the poor viftim, who was, as I faid, lying
upon the beach, or fhore, between the place where
they fat and the fea ; the two butchers, who were
juft going to work with him, had left him, at the
furprife of our firft fire, and fled in a terrible fright
to the fea-fide, and had jumped into a canoe, and
three more of the reft made the fame way : I turned
to Friday^ and bade him ftep forwards, and fire at
them ; he underftood me immediatefy, and running
about forty yards to be near them, he Ihot at them,
and I thought he had killed them all ; for I faw
them all fall on an heap into the boat ; though I faw
two of them up again quickly : however, he killed
two of them, and wounded the third, fo that he lay
down in the bottom of the boat, as if he had been
dead.

While my man Friday fired at them, I pulled out
my knife, and cut the flags that bound the poor
vidim ; and loofing his hands and feet I lifted him
up, and alked him in the Portugucfe tongue, what
he was ? He anfwered in Latin, Chrijiianus ; but
was fo weak and faint, that he could fcarce ftand, or
fpcak ; I took my bottle out of my pocket, and gave
it him, making figns that he fhould drink, which he
did ; and I gave him a piece of bread, which he eat ;
then I alked him, what countryman he was ? and he
faid, Effagnole ; and, being a little recovered, let
me know, by all the figns he could poflibly make,
how much he was in my debt for his deliverance :
Seignior, faid I, with as much Spanijh as I could
make up, we will talk afterwards, but we muft fight
now : if you have any ftrength left, take this piftol

and

2gB LIFE AND ADVENTURES

and fword, and lay about you : he took them very
thankfully, and no fooner had he the arms in his
hands, but as if they had put new vigour into him,
he flew upon his murderers like a fury, and had cut
two of them, in pieces in an inftant ; for the truth is,
as the whole was a furprife to them, fo the poor crea-
tures were fo much frighted with the noife of our
pieces, that they fell down for mere amazement and
fear, and had no more power to attempt their own
efcape, than their flefli had to refift our (hot ; and
that was the cafe of thofe five that Friday fhot in the
boat ; for as three of them fell with the hurt they re-
ceived, fo the other two fell with the fright.

I kept my piece in my hand ftill, without firing,
being willing to keep my charge ready, becaufe I had
given the Spaniard my piftol and fword ; fo I called
to Friday^ and bade him run up to the tree from
whence we firft fired, and fetch the arms which lay
there, that had been difcharged, which he did with
great fwiftnefs ; and then giving him my mufquet, I
fat down myfelf to load all the reft again, and bade
them come to me when they wanted : while I was
loading thefe pieces, there happened a fierce engage-
ment between the Spaniard and one of the favages,
who made at him with one of their great wooden
fwords, the fame weapon that was to have killed him
before, if I had not prevented it : the Spaniard^ who
was as bold and as brave as could be imagined, tho*
weak, had fought this Indian a good while, and had
cut him two great wounds on his headj but the
favage, being a ftout lufty fellow, clofing in with
him, had thrown him down (being faint), and was
wringing my fword out of his hand, when the Spa^
niardy though undermoft, wifely quitting his fword,

drew

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 299

drew the piftol from his girdle, fliot the favage
through the body, and killed him upon the fpot, be-
fore I, who was running to help, could come near
him.

Friday^ being now left at his liberty, purfued the
flying wretches with no weapon in his hand but his
hatchet ; and with that he difpatched thofe three,
who, as I faid before, were wounded at firft, and
fallen, and all the reft he could come up with j and
th e Spaniard coming to me for a gun, I gave him one
of the fowling pieces, with which he purfued two of
thefavages, and wounded them both ; but as he was
not able to run, they both got from him into the
wood, where Friday purfued them, and killed one of
them ^ but the other was too nimble for him ; and
though he was wounded, yet he plunged into thefea,
and fwam with all his might off to thofe who were
left in the canoe, which three in the canoe, with one
wounded, who we know not whether he died or no,
were all that efcaped our hands of one-and-twenty.
The account of the reft is as follows :

3 Killed at our Ihot from the tree.

2 Killed at the next fhot.'

2 Killed by Friday in the boat.

2 Killed by ditto, of thofe at firft wounded.
I Killed by ditto, in the wood.

3 Killed by the Spaniard.

4 Killed, being found dropt here and there of their
wounds, or killed by Friday in his chace of them.

4 Efcaped in the boat, whereof one wounded, if
not dead.

21 in all.

Thofe

300 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

Thofe that were in the canoe, worked hard to
get out of gun-lhot ; and though Friday made two
or three fhot at them, I did not find that he hit any
of them : Friday would fain have had me take one
of their canoes, and purfue them ; and indeed I was
very anxious about their efcape, left carrying the
news home to their people, they ftiould come back,
perhaps, with two or three hundred of their canoes,
and devour us by mere multitudes ; fo I confented
to purfue them by fea ; and running to one of their
canoes, I jumped in, and bade Friday follow me ;
but when I was in the canoe, I was furprif^fd to find
another poor creature lie there alive, bound hand and
foot, as the Spaniard was, for the flaughter, and
almoft dead with fear, not knowing what the mat-
ter was ; for he had not been able to look up over
the fide of the boat, he was tied fo hard, neck and
heels, and had been tied fo long, that he had really
little life in him.

I immedately cut the twifted flags, or ruflies,
which they had bound him with, and would have
helped him up ; but he could not ftand, or fpeak,
but groaned moft piteoufly, believing, it feems
ftill, that he was only unbound in order to be
killed.

When Friday came to him, I bade him fpeak to
him, and tell him of his deliverance ; and pulling
out my bottle, made him give the poor wretch a
dram, which, with the news of his being delivered,
revived him, and he fat up in the boat ; but when
Friday came to hear him fpeak, and looked in his
face, it would have moved any one to tears, to have
feen how Friday kiffed him, embraced him, hugged
him, cried, laughed, hallooed, jumped about, danced,

fung,

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* 30I

fung, then cried again, wrung his hands, beat his
own face and head, and then fung and jumped about
again like a diftrafted creature. It was a good
while before I could make him fpeak to me, or tell
me what was the matter ; but when he came a little to,
himfelf, he told me that it was his father.

It was not eafy for me to exprefs how it moved me,
to fee what extafy and filial affeftion had worked in
this poor favage, at the fight of his father, and of his
being delivered from death ; nor indeed can I defcribe
half the extravagances of his affeftion after this j for
he went into the boat and out of the boat • a great
many times : when he went in to him, he would fit
down by him, open his breaft, and hold his father's
head clofe to his bofom, half an hour together, to
nourifh it : then he took his arms and ankles, which
were numbed and ftifF with the binding, and chafed
and rubbed them with his hands ; and, I perceiving
what the cafe was, gave him fome rum out of my
bottle to rub them with, which did them a great deal
of good.

This adlion put an end to our purfuit of the canoe
with the other favages, who were now gotten almoft
out of fight ; and it was happy for us that we did
not ; for it blew fo hard within two hours after, and
before they could be gotten a quarter of their way,
and continued blowing fo hard all night, and that from
the north- weft, which was againft them, that I could
not fuppofe their boat could live, or that they ever
reached to their own coaft.

But to return to Friday; he t^ras fo bufy about his
father, that I could not find in my heart to take him
off for fome time: but after I thought he could leave
him a little, I called him to me, and he came jumping

and

302 JLIFE AND ADVENTURES

and laughing, and pleafed to the highefl: extreme.
Then I a(ked him, if he had given his father any
bread? He (hook his head, and faid. None: ugly
dog eat all up felf. So I gave him a cake of bread
out of a little pouch I carried on purpofe j I alfo gave
him a dram for himfelf, but he would not tafte it, but
carried it to his father: I had in my pocket alfo two
or three bunches of my raifins, fo I gave him a hand-
ful of them for his father. He had no fooner given
his father thefe raifins, but I faw him come out of the
boat, and run away as if he had been bewitched. He
ran at fuch a rate, (for he was the fwifteft fellow
of his feet that ever I faw) I fay, he ran at
fuch a rate, that he was out of fight, as it were,
in a inftantj and though I called and hallooed too
after him, it was all one; away he went, and in a
quarter of an hour I faw him come back again, though
not fo faft as he went ; and as he came nearer, I
found his pace was flacker, becaufe he had fomething
in his hand-
When he came up to me, I found he had been
quite home for an ^rthen jug, or pot, to bring his
father fome frefh water; and that he had got two
more cakes or loaves of bread. The bread he gave
me, but the water he carried to his father: however,
ais I was very thirfty too, I took a little fup of it :
this water revived his father more than all the rum or
fpirits I had given him ; for he was juft fainting with
thirft.

When his father had drank, I called him, to know
if there was any water left? he faid. Yes; and I bade
him give it to the poor Spaniard^ who was in as much
want of it as his father; and I fent one of the cakes,
that Friday brought, to the Spaniard too, who was

indeed

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* 303

indeed very weak, and was repofing himfelf upon a
green place, under the (hade of a tree, and whofe
limbs were alfo very ftifF, and very much fwelled
with the rude bandage he had been tied with: when I
faw that upon Friday*s coming to him with the water^
he fat up and drank, and took the bread, and began
to eat, I went to him, and gave him an handful of
raifins; he looked up in my face with all the tokens
of gratitude and thankfulnefs that could appear in any
countenance ; but was fo weak, nptwithftanding he
had fo exerted himfelf in the fight, that he could not
ftand upon his feet; he tried to do it two or three,
times, but was really not able, his ankles were fo
fwelled and fo painful to him; fo I bade him fit ftillj
and caufed Friday to rub his ankles, and bathe them
with rum, as he had done his father's.

I obferved the poor affedionate creature every two
minutes, or perhaps lefs, all the while ,he was here,
turned his head about, to fee if his father was in thq
fame place and pofture as he left him fitting; and at
laft he found he was not to be feen; at which he
ftarted up, and, without fpeaking a word, flew with
that fwiftnefs to him, that one could fcarce perceive
his feet to touch the ground as he went: but when he
came, he only found he had laid himfelf down to eafe
his limbs: fo Friday came back to me prefently, and
I then fpoke to the Spafiiard to let Friday help him up,
if he could, and lead him to the boat, and then he
Ihould carry him to our dwelling, where I would take
care of him: but Friday^ a lufty young fellow, took
the Spaniard quite up upon his back, and carried him
away to the boat, and fet him down foftly upon the
fide or gunnel of the canoe, with his feet in the in-

fidc

304 I'lFE AND ADVENTURES

fide of it, and then lifted them quite in, and fet him
clofe to his father, and prefently flepping out again,
launched the boat off, and paddled it along the fhore
fader than I could walk, though the wind blew pretty-
hard too; fo he brought them both fafe into our
creek; and leaving them in the boat, runs away to
fetch the other canoe. As he paffed me, I fpoke to
him, and alked him, whither he went? He told me.
Go fetch more boat; fo away he went, like the
wind; for fure never man or horferan like him^ and
he had the other canoe in the creek almoft a$ ibon
as I got to it by land; fo he wafted me over, and theU
went to help our new guefts out of the boat,
which he did ; but they were neither of them
able to walk; fo that poor Friday knew not wliat
to do.

To remedy this, I went to work in my thought,
and calling to Friday to bid them fit down on the
bank while he came to me, I foon made a kiiid of
hand-barrow to lay them on, and Friday and I carried
them up both together upon it between us ; but when
we got them to the outfide of our wall or fortification^
we were at a worfe lofs than before ; for it was im-
poflible to get them over; and I was refolved not to
break it down: fo I fet to work again; and Friday
and I, in about two hours time, made a very hand-
fome tent, covered with old fails, and above that
with boughs of trees, being in the fpace without our
outward fence^ and between that and the grove of
young wood which I had planted : and here we made
two beds of fuch things as I had; viz. of good rice-
fl:raw, with blankets laid upon it to lie on, and another
to cover them on each bed.

My

//,.///« A, .'i.a..,u

>.M.fra,l^ /y . //r.//.,,f./

V>/.V///r./ .lAo , /,-".'•:■' V./X'./w'^/<- '//'.v.f./^//,-

^

' OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 305

My Ifland was now peopled, and I thought myfelf
very rich in fubjeds ; and it was a merry refleftion
which I frequently made, how like a king I looked :
firft of all the whole country was my own mere pro-
perty; fo that I had an undoubted right of dominion:
2dly, My people were perfeftly fubjefted: I was ab-
folute lord and lawgiver; they all owed their lives to
me, and were ready to lay down their lives, if there
had been occafion for it, for me : it was remarkable
too, I had but three fubjeds, and they were of three
different religions. My man Friday was a proteftant,
his father a pagan and a canibal; and the Spaniard
was a papift: however, I allowed liberty of con-
fcience throughout my dominions: but this by the
way.

As foon as I had fecured my two weak refcued pri-
foners, and given them fhelter, and a place to reft
them upon, I began to think of making fome pro-
vifionfor them; and the firft thing I did, I ordered
Friday to take a yearling goat, betwixt a kid and a
goat, out of my particular flock, to be killed: then I
cut off the hind quarter, and, chopping it into fmali
pieces, I fet Friday to work to boiling and ftewing,
and made them a very good difh, I affure you, of fiefh
and broth; having put fome barley and rice alfo into
the broth, and as I cooked it without doors (for I
made no fire within my inner wall) fo I carried it all
into the new tent ; and having fet a table there for
them, I fat down and eat my dinner alfo with them;
and, as well as I could, cheered them and en-
couraged them, Friday being my interpreter, efpe-
cially to his father, and indeed to the Spaniard too ^

Vol. I. X for

3o6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

for the Spaniard fpoke the language of the favages
pretty well.

After we had dined, or rather fupped, I ordered
Friday to take one of the canoes, and go and fetch
our mufquets and other fire-arms, which, for want of
time, we had left upon the place of battle; and the
next day I ordered him to go and bury the dead
bodies of the favages, which lay open to the fun, and
would prefently be offenfive ; and I alfo ordered him
to bury the horrid remains of their barbarous feaft,
which I knew were pretty much, and which I could
not think of doing myfelf; nay, I could not bear to
fee them, if I went that way : all which hepundually
performed, and defaced the very appearance of the
favages being there; fo that when I went again, I
could fcarce know where it was, otherwife than by
the corner of the wood pointing to the place,

I then began to enter into a little converfation with
my two new fubjefts ; and firft I fet Friday to enquire
of his father, what he thought of the efcape of the
favages in that canoe ? and whether be might expeft
a return of them with a power too great for u& to re-
fift? His firft opinion was, that the favages in the
boat never could live out the ftorm which blew that
night they went off, but muft of neceffity be drowned
or driven fouth to thofe other fliores, where they were
as fure to be devoured, as they were to be drowned if
they were caft away ; but as to what they would do
if they came fafe on fhore, hefaid, he knew not; but
it was his opinion, that they were fo dreadfully frighted
with the manner of being attacked, the noife, and
the fire, that he believed they would tell their people

they

\

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 307

they were all killed by thunder and lightning, and
not by the hand of man; and that the two which ap-
peared (viz, Friday and I) were two heavenly fpirits
or furies come down to deftroy them, and not men
with weapons. This, he faidj he knew, becaufe he
heard them all cry out fo in their language to one
another ; for it was impoffible for them to conceive
that a man fliould dart fire, and fpeak thunder, and
kill at a diftance, without lifting up the hand, as
was done now. And this old favage was in the
right, for, as I underftood fince by other hands, the
favages of that part never attempted to go over to the
ifland afterwards. They were fo terrified with the
accounts given by thefe four men (for it feems they
did efcape the fea), that they believed, whoever went
to that inchanted ifland, would be deftroyed with
fire from the gods.

This, however, I knew not, and therefore was
under continual apprehenfions for a good while, and
kept always upon my guard, I and all my army j
for as there were now four of us, I would have ven-
tured upon an hundred of them fairly in the open
field at any time.

In a little time, however, no more canoes ap-
pearing, the fear of their coming wore off, and I
began to take my former thoughts of a voyage to
the main into confideration, being likewife af-
fured by Friday^ father, that I might depend upon
good ufage from their nation on his account, if I
would go.

But my thoughts were a little fufpended, when I

had a ferious difcourfe with the Spaniard^ and when

I underftood, that there were fixteen more of his

X 2 countrymen

\

208 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

countrymen and Portuguefe^ who having been caft
away, and made their efcape to that fide, lived there
at peace indeed with the favages, but were very fore
put to it for neceffaries, and indeed for life: I afked
him all the particulars of their voyage ; and found
they were a Spanijh fhip, bound from the Rio de la
Plata to the Havanna\ being direfted to leave
their loading there, which was chiefly hides and fil-
ver, and to bring back what European goods they
could meet with there ; that they had five Portuguefe
feamen on board, whom they took out of another
wreck; that five of their own men were drowned
when firft the fliip was loft; and that thefe efcaped
through infinite dangers arid hazards, and arrived
almoft ftarved on the Canibal coaft, where they ex-
pefted to have been devoured every moment.

He told me, they had fome arms with them, but
they were perfedlly ufelefs, for that they had neither
powder or ball, the wafliing of the fea having
fpoiled all their powder, but a little which they
ufed at their firft landing to provide themfelves fome
food.

I alked him what he thought v. ould become of them
there; and if they had formed no defign of making
any efcape? He faid, they had many confultations
about it; but that having neither veffel, nor tools to
build one, or provifions of any kind, their counfels
always ended in tears and defpair.

I afked him, how he thought they would receive a
propofal from me, which might tend towards an
efcape; and whether, if they were all here, it might
not be done? I told him with freedom, I feared
moftly their treachery and ill ufage of me, if I put

my

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 309

my life in their hands ; for that gratitude was no in-
herent Virtue in the nature of man; nor did men
always fquare their dealings by the obligations they
had received, fo much as they did by the advantages
they expeded: I told him, it would be very hard,
that I fhould be the inftrument of their deliverance,
and that they fhould afterwards make me their pri-
foner in New Spain^ where an Englifhman was certain
to be made a facrifice, what neceflity, or what ac-
cident foever, brought him thither; and that I had
rather be delivered up to the favages, and be devoured
alive, than fall into the mercilefs claws of the priefts,
and be carried into the inquifition. I added, that
otherwife I was perfuaded, if they were all here, we
might, with fo many hands, build a bark large
enough to carry us all away either to the Braftls fouth-
ward, or to the iflands or Spanijh coaft northward:
but that if in requital they fhould, when I had put
weapons into their hands, carry me by force among
their own people, I might be ill ufed for my kind-
nefs to them, and make mv cafe worfe than it was
before.*

He anfwered, with a great deal of candour and in--
genuity, that their condition was fo miferable, and
they were fo fenlible of it, that he believed they would
abhor the thought of ufmg any man unkindly that
fhould contribute to their deliverance; and that, if
I pleafed, he would go to them with the old man,
and difcourfe with them about it, and return again,
and bring me their anfwer: that he would make con-
ditions with them upon their folemn oath, that they
would be abfolutely under my leading, as their com-
mander and captain; and that they fhould fwear

X 3 upon

N

310 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

upon the holy facraments and gofpel, to be true to
me, and go to fuch chriftian country as I ftiould
agree to, and no other; and to be direfted wholly
and abfolutely by my orders, till they were landed
fafely in fuch country as I intended; and that he would
bring a contraft from them under their hands for that
purpofe.

Then he told me, he would firft fwear to me him-
felf, that he would never ftir from me as long as he
lived, till I gave him order; and that he would take
my fide to the laft drop of blood, if there ftiould
happen the leaft breach of faith among his country-
men.

He told me, they were all of them very civil honefl
men, and they were under the greateft diftrefs imagi-
nable,having neither weapons orclothes, nor any food,
but at the mercy and difcretion of the favages; out
of all hopes of ever returning to their own country ;
and that he was fure, if I would undertake their re-
lief, they would live and die by me.

Upon thefe affurances, I refolved to venture to re-
lieve them, if poflible, and to fend the old favage and
this Spaniard over to them to treat: but when he had
gotten all things in readinefs to go, the Spaniard him-^
felf ftarted an objeftion, which had fo much prudence
in it on one hand, and fo much fincerity on the other
hand, that I could not but be very well fatisfied in
it ; and, by his advice, put off the deliverance of
his comrades for at leaft half a year. The cafe was
thus:

He had been with us now about a month; during
which time I had let him fee in what manner I had
provided, with the afliftance of Providence, for. my

fupport J

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 3IJ

fupport ; and he faw evidently what (lock of corn and
rice I had Iain up ; which, as it was more than fuf-
ficient for myfelf, fo it was not fufEcient, at leafl:
without good hulbandry, for my family, now it was
increafed to number four: but much lefs would it be
fufEcient, if his countrymen, who were, as he faid,
fourteen ftill alive, fhould come over; and leaft of all
would it be fufficient to vi6lual our vefTel, if we fhould
build one, for a voyage to any of the chriflian co-
lonies of America. So he told me, he thought it
would be more advifeable, to let him and the other
two dig and cultivate fome more land, as much as I
could fpare feed to fow ; and that we fhould wait
another harvefl, that we might have a fupply of corn
for his countrymen when they fhould come ; for want
might be a temptation to them to difagree, or not to
think themfelves delivered, otherwife than out of one
difficulty into another : you know, fays he, the chil-
dren of Ifrael^ though they rejoiced at firfl at their
being delivered out of Egypt^ yet rebelled even againfl
God himfelf, that delivered them, when they came
to want bread in the wildernefs.

His caution was fo feafonable, and his advice fo
good, that I could not but be very well pleafed with
his propofal, as well as I was fatisfied with his fidelity :
fo we fell to digging, all four of us, sfs well as the
wooden tools we were furnifhed with permitted; and
in about a month's time, by the end of which it was
feed-time, we had gotten as much land cured and
trimmed up as we fowed twenty-two bufhels of barley
on, and fixteen jars of rice, which was, in fhort, all
the feed we had to fpare; nor indeed did we leave
ourfelves barley fufficient for our own food for the

X 4 fix

312 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

fix months that we had to exped our crop, that is
to fay, reckoning from the time we fet our feed afide
for fowing; for it is not to be fuppofed it is fix months
in the ground in that country.

Having now fociety enough, and our number being
fufEcient to put us out of fear of the favages, if they
had come, unlefs their number had been very great,
we went freely all over the ifland, wherever we
found occafion; and as here we had our efcape or
deliverance upon our thoughts, it was impoffible, at
leaft for me, to have the means of it out of mine ; to
this purpofe, 1 marked out feveral trees, which I
thought fit for our work, and I fet Friday and his
father to cutting them down; and then I caufed the
Spaniard^ to whom I imparted my thoughts on that
affair, to overfee and direft their work: I fhewed
them with what indefatigable pains I had hewed a
large tree into fingle planks, and I caufed them to da
the like, till they had made about a dozen large
planks of good oak, near two feet broad, thirty -five
feet long, and from two inches to four inches thick:
what prodigious labour it took up, any one may
imagine.

At the fame time I contrived to increafe my little
flock of tame goats as much as I could ; and to this
jpurpofe I made Friday and the Spaniard to go out one
day, and myfelf, with Friday, the next day, for wq
took our turns: and by this means we got about
twenty young kids to breed up with the reft ; for
whenever we fhot the dam, we faved the kids, and
added them to our flock: but above all, the feafon
for curing the grapes coming on, I caufed fuch a
prodigious quantity to be hung up in the fun, that I

believe,

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 3T3

believe, had we been at Alicant^ where the raifins of
the fun are cured, we (hould have filled fixty or
eighty barrels; and thefe, with our bread, was a great
part of our food, and very good living too, I afTure
you ; for. it is an exceeding nourilhing food.

It was now harveft, and our crop in good order;

it was not the moft plentiful increafe I had feen in the

ifland, but, however, it was enough to anfwer our

end; for from twenty-two bufliels of barley, we

brought in and threflied out above two hundred and

-twenty bufhels, and the like in proportion of the rice,

which was (lore enough for our food to the next

harveft, though all the fixteen Spaniards had been

on Ihore with me ; or, if we had been ready for a

voyage, it would very plentifully have vidualled

our (hip^ to have carried us to any part of the world,

that is to fay, of America* When we had thus houfed

and fecured our magazine of corn, we fell to work to

make more wicker-work ; viz. great bafkets, in which

we kept it ; and the Spaniard was very handy and

dexterous at this part, and often blamed me, that I

did not make fome things for defence of this kind of

work; but I faw no need of it: and now having a

full fupply of food for all the guefts expefted, I gave

the Spaniard leave to go over to the main, to fee what

he could do with thofe he left behind him there : I

gave him a ftrict charge in writing not to bring any

man with him, v/ho would not firft fwear, in the pre-

fence of himfelf and of the old favage, that he would

no way injure, fight with, or attack the perfon he

Ihould find in the ifland, who was fo kind to fend for

them in order to their deliverance ; but that they

would ftand by and defend him againft all fuch at-

tempts J

314 ^I^E AND ADVENTURES

tempts ; and wherever they went, would be en-
tirely under, and fubjefted to his command; and that
this fhould be put in writing, and figned with their
hands ; how we were to have this done, when I knew
they had neither pen or ink, that indeed was a quef-
tion which we never afked.

Under thefe inftruftions, the Spaniard^ and the
old favage (the father of Friday) went away in one of
the canoes, which they might be faid to come in, or
rather were brought in, v;hen they came as prifoners
to be devoured by the favages.

I gave each of them a mufquet with a firelock on
it, and about eight charges of powder and ball,
charging them to be very good hufbands of both,
and not to ufe either of them but upon urgent oc-
cafions.

This was a cheerful work, being, the firft meafures
ufed by me in view of my deliverance for now 27
years and fome days; I gave them provifions of
bread, and of dried grapes, fufficient for themfelves
for many days, and fufficient for their countrymen
for about eight days time; and wifhing them a good
voyage, I let them go, agreeing with them about a
fignal they fhould hang out at their return, by which
I fhould know them again, when they came back, at
a diflance, before they came on fhore.

They went away with a fair gale on the day that
the moon was at the full ; by my account in the
month of Odober; but as for the exaft reckoning of
days, after I had once lofl it, I could never recover
it again; nor had I kept even the number of years
fo punftually, as to be fure that I was right,
though, as it proved when I afterwards examined

my

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 3I5

my account, I found I had kept a true reckoning of
years.

It was no lefs than eight days I waited for them,
when a ftrange and unforefeen accident intervened,
of which the like has not, perhaps, been heard of in
hiftory. I was faft afleep in my hutch one morning,
when my man Friday came running in to me, and
called aloud, " Mafter, mafter, they are come, they

are come.**

I jumped up, and, regardlefs of danger, I went
out as foon as I could get my clothes on, through my
little grove, which (by the way) was by this time
grown to be a very thick wood ; I fay, regardlefs of
danger, I went without my arms, which was not my
cuftom to do ; but I was furprifed, when turning my
eyes to the fea, I prefently faw a boat at about a
league and an halPs diftance. Handing in for the
fhore, with a fhoulder of mutton fail, as they call it,
and the wind blowing pretty fair to bring them in:
alfo I obferved prefently, that they did not come from
that fide which the fhore lay on, but from the
fouthermoft end of the ifland : upon this I called
Friday in, and bid him lie clofe, for thefe were
not the people we looked for, and that we
did not know yet whether they were friends or
enemies.

In the next place, I went in to fetch my perfpec-
tive-glafs, to fee what I could make of them ; and
having taken the ladder out, I climbed up to the top
of the hill, as I ufed to do when I was apprehenfive
of any thing, and to take my view the plainer without
being difcovered.

I had

3l6 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

/

I had fcarce fet my foot on the hill, when my eye
plainly difcovered a fhip lying at an anchor, at about
two leagues and a half's diftance from me, S. S. E.
but not above a league and an half from the fhore.
By my obfervation it appeared plainly to be an
Englijh fhip, and the boat appeared to be an Englijh
long-boat.

I cannot exprefs the confufion I was in, though the
joy of feeing a fhip, and one whom I had reafon to
believe was manned by my own countrymen, and
confequently friends, was fuch as I cannot defcribe ;
but yet I had fome fecret doubts hung about me, I
cannot tell from whence they came, bidding me keep
upon my guard. In the firfl place, it occurred to
me to confider what bufinefs an Englijh fhip could
have in that part of the world; fmce it was not the
way to or from .any part of the world where the En-
glijld had any traffick ; and I knew there had been no
ftorms to drive them in t;here, as in diflrefs ; and
that if they were Englijh really, it was mofl prbba-.
ble that they were here upon no good defign; and
that I had better continue as I was, than fall into th^
hands of thieves and murderers.

Let no man defpife the fecret hints and notices of
danger, which fometimes are given him when he
may think there is no pofTibility of its being jeal.
That fuch hints and notices are given us, I believe
few that have made any obfervations of things can
deny ; that they are certain difcoveries of an invifible
world, and a converfe of fpirits, we cannot doubt ;
and if the tendency of them feems to be to warn us of
danger, why fliould we not fuppofe they are from

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE.# 317

fome friendly agent (whetha* fupreme, or inferor and
fubordinate, is not the queftion), and that they are
given for our good ?

The prefent queftion abundantly confirms me in the
juftice of this reafoning ; for had I not been made cau-
tious by this fecret admonition, come from whence it
will, I had been undone inevitably, and in a far
worfe condition than before, as you will fee prefently.

I had not kept myfelf long in this pofture, but I
faw the boat draw near the Ihore, as if they looked
for a creek to thru ft in at for the convenience of
landing ; however, as they did not come quite far
enough, they did not fee the little inlet where I for-
merly landed my rafts, but run their boat on fhore
upon the beach, at about half a mile from me, which
was very happy for me; for otherwife they would
have landed juft, as I may fay, at my door, and
would have foon beaten me out of my caftle, and,
perhaps, have plundered me of all I had.

When they were on Ihore, I was fully fatisfied they
were Englijhmen^ at leaft moft of them ; one or two I
thought were Dutch^ but it did not prove fo : there
were in all eleven men, whereof three of them I
found were unarmed, and (as I thought) bound ; and
when the firft four or five of them were jumped on
fliore, they took thofe three out of the boat as prifon-
ers : one of the three I could perceive ufing the moft
paflionate geftures of intreaty, affliftion, and defpair,
even to a kind of extravagance ; the other two, I
could perceive, lifted up their hands fometimes, and
appeared concerned indeed, but not to fuch a degree
as the firft.

I was-

3l8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

I was perfedlly confounded at the fight, and knew
not what the meaning of it ihould be ; Friday called
out to me in Englijh^ as well as he could, O mafter !
you fee Englijh mans eat prifoners as well as favage
mans. Why, faid I, Friday^ do you think they are
going to eat them then ? Yes, fays Friday^ they will
eat them. No, no, faid I, Friday ; I am afraid they
will murder them indeed ; but you may be fure they
will not eat them.

All this while I had no thought of what the matter
really was, but flood trembling with the horror of
the fight, expeding every moment when the three
prifoners ftiould be killed ; nay, once I faw one of
the villains lift up his arm with a great cutlace (as
the feamen call it) or fword, to ftrike one of the poor
men ; and I expefted to fee him fall every moment,
at which all the blood in my body feemed to run chili
in my veins.

I wifhed heartily now for our Spaniard^ and the
favage that was gone with him ; or that I had any
way to have come undifcovered within fhot of them,
that I might have refcued the three men ; for I faw
no fire-arms they had among them ; but it fell out to
my mind another way.

After I had obferved the outrageous ufage of the
three men by the infolent feamen, I obferved the
fellows ran fcattering about the land, as if they
wanted to fee the country : I obferved alfo, that the
three other men had liberty to go where they pleafed ;
but they fat down all three upon the groimd very
penfive, and looked like men in defpair.

This put me in mind of the firft time when I came
on Ihore, and began to look about nte j how I gave

myfelf

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 319

myfelf over for loft, how wildly I looked round me,
what dreadful apprehenfions I had, and how I lodged
in the tree all night for fear of being devoured by
wild beafts.

As I knew nothing that night of the fupply I was
to receive by the providential driving of the fhip
nearer the land, by the ftorms and tides, by which
I have fince been fo long nourifhed and fupported ;
fo thefe three poor defolate men knew nothing how
certain of deliverance and fupply they were, how
near it was to them, and how efFeftually and really
they were in a condition of fafety, at the fame time
they thought themfelves loft, and their cafe defpe-
rate.

So little do we fee before us in the world, and fo
much reafon have we to depend cheerfully upon the
^ great Maker of the world, that he does not leave his
creatures fo abfolutely deftitute, but that in the worft
circumftances they have always fomething to be
thankful for, and fometimes are nearer their deliver-
ance than they imagine ; nay, are even brought to
their deliverance by the means by which they feem to
be brought to their deftruftion.

It was juft at the top of high-water when thefc
people came on Ihore, and while partly they ftood
parlying with the prlfoners they brought, and partly
while they rambled about to fee what kind of place
they were in, they had carelefsly ftaid till the tide
was fpent, and the water was ebbed confiderably
away, leaving their boat aground.

They had left two men in the boat, who, as I
found afterwards, having drank a little too much
brandy, fell afleep ; however, one of them waking

fooner

320 ..LIVE AND ADVENTURES

fooner than the other, and finding the boat too faft
aground for him to ftir it, hallooed for the reft who
were ftraggling about, upon which they all foon
came to the boat ; but it was paft all their ftrength
to launch her, the boat being very heavy, and the
fhore on that fide being a foft oufy fand, almoft like a
quickfand*

In this condition, like true feamen, who are, per-
haps, the leaft of all mankind given to forethought,
they gave it over, and away they ftrolled about the
country again ; and I heard one of them fay aloud to
another (calling them off from the boat), Why, let
her alone, Jack^ can't ye ? (he'll float next tide ; by
which I was fully confirmed in the main enquiry, of
what countrymen they were.

All this while I kept myfelf clofe, not once daring
to ftir out of my caftle, any farther than to my place
of obfervation, near the top of the hill ; and very
glad I was, to think how well it was fortified : I
knew it was no lefs than ten hours before the boat
could be on float again, and by that time it would be
dark, and I might be more at liberty to fee their mo-
tions, and to hear their difcourfe, if they had any.

In the mean time I fitted myfelf up for a battle, as
before, though with more caution, knowing I had to
do with another kind of enemy than I had at firft : I
ordered Friday alfo, whom I had made an excellent
markfman with his gun, to load himfelf with arms :
I took myfelf two fowling-pieces, and I gave him
three mufquets : my figure, indeed, was very fierce ;
I had my formidable goat flcin coat on, with the
great cap I mentioned, a naked fword, two piftols
in my belt, and a gun upon each flioulder.

It

bP HOBlNSbN CRUSOEi , 3^1

It was my delign, as I faid above, not to have
made any attempt till it was dark ; but about two
o'clock, being the heat of the day, 1 found that in
fhort they were all gone ftraggling into the woods,
and, as I thought, were all laid down to fleep : the
three poor diftreffed men, too anxious for their con-
dition to get any fleep, were however fet down under
the flielter of a great tree, at about a quarter of a
mile from me, and, as I thought, out of fight of any
of the reft.

Upon this I refolved to difcover myfelf to them,
and learn fomething of their condition : immediately
I marched in the figure above, my man Friday at a
good diftance behind me, as formidable for his arms
as I, but not making quite fo ftaring a fpe£lre-like
figure as I did*

1 came as near them undifcovered as I could, and
then, before any of them faw me, I called aloud to
them in Spanijh^ What are ye. Gentlemen ?

They ftarted up at the noife ; but were ten times
more confounded when they faw me, and the un-
couth figure that I made : they made no anfwer at
all, but I thought I perceived them juft going to fly
from me, when I fpoke to them in Englijh : Gen-
tlemen, faid I, do not be furprifed at me ; perhaps;
you may have a friend near you, when you did not
exped it : He muft be fent direftly from Heaven then,
faid one of them very gravely to me, pulling off his
hat at the fame time, for our condition is paft the
help of man. All help is from Heaven, Sir, faid I :
but can you put a ftranger in the way how to help
you ? For you feem to me to be in fome great diftrefs :
I faw you when you landed ; and when you feemed
^ Vol. !• Y to

^2^ tlFE AND ADVENTURES

to make application to the brutes that came witib
you — I fawone of them lift up his fword to kill you*

The poor man, with tears running down his face^
and trembling, looking like one aftonifhed, re-
turned, Am I talking to God or man ? Is it a real
man, or an angel ? Be in no fear about that, Sir,
faid I : if God had fent an angel to relieve you, he
would have come better clothed, and armed after
another manner than you fee me in ; pray lay afide
your fears j I am a man, an Englijhman^ and difpofed
to affift you J. you fee I have one fervant only ; we
have arms and ammunition ; tell us freely. Can we
ferve you ? What is your cafe ?

Our cafe, faid he, Sir^ is too long to tell you,
while our murderers are fo near ; but in fhort. Sit,
I was commander of that flnp ; my men having mu-
tinied againft me, they have been hardly prevailed
on not to murder me, and at laft have fet me on Ihore
in this defolate place, with thefe two men with me,
one my mate, the other a paffenger, where v/e ex-
peded to perifli, believing the place to be unin-
habited, and know not what to think of it.

Where are thofe brutes, your enemies ? faid I j Do
you know where they are gone ? There they are. Sir,
laid he, pointing to a thicket of trees ; my heart
trembles for fear they have feen us, and heard yoa
fpeak; if they have, they will certainly murder
us all.

Have they any fire-arms? faid I : he anfwered, they
had only two pieces, and one which they left in the
boat. Well then, faid I, leave the reft to me ; I fee
they are all afleep j it is an eafy thing to kill them all ;
but ihall we rather take them prifoners ? He told me

there

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* 323

there were two defperate villains among them, that it
Was fcarce fafe to (hew any mercy to ; but if they
were fecured, he believed all the reft would return
to their duty, I alked him, Which they were ? He
told me, he could not at that diftance defcribe them ;
but he would obey my orders in any thing I would
direft. Well, faid I, let us retreat out of their view
or hearing, left they awake, and we will refolve far-
ther J fo they willingly went back with me, till the
woods covered us from them.

Look you. Sir, faid I, if I venture upon your de-
liverance, iare you veiling to make two conditions
with me ? He anticipated my propofals, by telling me,
that both he and the fliip, if recovered, Ihould be
wholly directed and commanded by me in every
thing ; and if the fliip was not recovered, he would
live and die with nie in what part of the world foever
I would fend him ; and the two other men faid the
fame.

Well, faid I, my conditions are but two : i. That
while you ftay on this ifland with me, you will not
pretend to any authority here ; and if I put arms into
your hands, you will upon all occafions give them up
to me, and do no prejudice to me or mine, upon this
ifland, and in the mean time to be governed by my
orders.

2. That if the fliip is, or may be recovered, you
will carry me and my man to England^ paflage free.

He gave me all the aflurance that the invention
and faith of a man could devife, that he would com- .
ply vdth thefe moft reafonable demands ; and befides,
would owe his life to me, and acknowledge it upon
all occafions as long as he lived.

Y a Well

3^4 I^IFE A^fD ADVENTURES

Well then, faid I, here are three mufquets for you,
with powder and ball ; tell me next what you think is
proper to be done : he fliewed all the teftimony of
his gratitude that he was able ; but offered to be
wholly guided by me : I told him, I thought it was
hard venturing any thing; but the beft method I
could think of, was to fire upon them at once, as
they lay ; and if any were not killed at the firft volley,
and. offered to fubmit, we might fave them, and fa
put it wholly upoji God's providence to dired the
Ihot.

He faid, very modeftly, that he was loth to kill
them, if he could help it ; but that thofe two were
incorrigible villains, and had been the authors of all
the mutiny in the fhip; and if they efcaped, we
fhould be undone flill ; for they would go on board,
and bring the whole fhip's company, and deflroy us
all. Well then, faid I, neceffity legitimates my ad-
vice ; for it is the only way to fave our lives. How-
ever, feeing him ftill cautious of fhedding blood, I
told him, they fhould go themfelves, and manage as
they found convenient.

In the middle of this difcourfe we heard fome of
them awake, and foon after we faw two of them on
their feet : I afked him. If either of them were the
men who he had faid were the heads of the mutiny ?
He faid. No. Well then, faid I, you may let them
efcape, and Providence feems to have wakene4 them
on purpofe to fave themfelves : Now, faid I, if the
refl efcape you, it is your fault.

Animated with this, he took the mufquet I had
given him in his hand, and piflol in his belt, and
his two comrades with him, with each man a piece

ia

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 325

in his hand : the two men, who were with him, go-
ing firft, made fome noife, at which one of the Tea-
men, who was awake, turned about, and feeing
them coming, cried out to the reft ; but it was too
late then ; for the moment he cried out, they fired,
I mean the two men, the captain wifely referving his
own piece : they had fo well* aimed their fhot at the
men they knew, that one of them was killed on the
fpot, and the other very much wounded ; but not
being dead, he ftarted up on his feet, and called
eagerly for help to the other ; but the captain, ftep-
ping to him, told him it was too late to cry for help ;
he fliould call upon God to forgive his villainy ; and
with that word knocked him down with the ftock of
his mufquet, fo that he never fpoke more: there
were three more in the company, and one of them
was alfo flightly wounded : by this time I was come ;
and when they faw their danger, and that it was in
vain to refift, they begged for mercy. The captain
told them, he would fpare their lives, if they would
give him any aflurance of their abhorrence of the trea-
chery they had been guilty of, and would fwear to
be faithful to him in recovering the fhip, and after-
wards in carrying her back to yumaica^ from whence
they came. They gave him all the proteftations of
their fincerity that could be defired j and he was will-
ing to believe them, and fpare their lives, which I
was not againft ; only I obliged him to keep them
bound hand and foot while they were upon the
ifland.

While this was doing, I fent Friday with the
captain's mate to the boat, with orders to fecure
her, and bring away the oars and fail, which they

Y 3 didi

326 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

did; and by and bye, three draggling men, that
were (happily for them) parted from the reft, came
back upon hearing the guns fired ; and feeing their
captain, who before was their prifoner, now their
conqueror ; they fubmitted to be bound alfo, and fa
our viftory was complete.

It now remained, that the captain and I fliould
enquire into one another's circumftances : I began
firft, and told him my whole hiftory, which he heard
with an attention even to amazement, and particu-
larly at the wonderful manner of my being furniflied
with provifions and ammunition ; and indeed, as my
ftory is a whole coUedion of wonders, it affeded.
him deeply ; but when he reflefted from thence upon
himfelf, and how I feemed to have been preferved
there on purpofe to fave his life, the tears ran down
his face, and he could not fpeak a word more.

After this communication was at an end, I carried
him and his two men into my apartments, leading
them in juft where I came out, viz. at the top of the
houfe ; where I refrefhed them with fuch provifions
as I had, and (hewed them all the contrivances I had
made during my long, long inhabiting that place.

All I (hewed them, all I faid to them, was perfeftly
amazing; but, above all, the captain admired my
fortification ; and how perfedly I had concealed my
retreat with a grove of the trees, which, having now
been planted near twenty years, and the trees grow-.
Ing much fa^fter thaii in England^ was become a little
wood, and fo thick, that it was unpaflable in any
part of it, but at that one fide where I had referved
my little winding paflTage into it : this I told him was
my caftle, and my refidence } but that I had a feat

in

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 327

in the country, as mofl princes have, whither I
could retreat upon occafion, and I would fhew him
that too another time ; but at prefent our bufinefs
was to confider how to recover the fhip. He agreed
with me as to that ; but told me, he was perfeftly at
a lofs what meafure to take ; for that there were ftill
fix-and-twenty hands on board, who having entered
into a curfed confpiracy, by which they had all for-
feited their lives to the law, would be hardened in
it now by defperation ; and would carry it on, know«
ing that if they were reduced, they fhould be brought
to the gallows as foon as they came to England^ or to
any of the Englijh colonies ; and that therefore there
would be no attacking them with fo fmall a number
as we were.

I mufed for fome time upon what he had faid, and
found it was a very rational conclufion, and that
therefore fomething was to be refolved on very
fpeedily, as well to draw the men on board into fome
fnare for their furprife, as to prevent their landing
upon us, and deftroying us : upon this it prefently
occurred to me, that in a little while, the fhip^s crew,
wondering what was become of their comrades, and
of the boat, would certainly come on fhore in their
other boat to fee for them ; and that then perhaps
they might come armed, and be too ftrong for us :
this, he allowed, was rational.

Upon this I told him, the firft thing we had to do,
was to ftave the boat, which lay upon the beach, fo
that they might not carry her off; and taking every
thing out of her, leave her fo far ufelefs as not to be
fit to fwim ; accordingly we went on board, took the
arms which were left on board out of her, and what-

Y 4 ever

328 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

everelfe we found there, which was a bottle of brandy,
and another of rum, a few bifcult cakes, an horn of
powder, and a great lump of fugar in a piece of can^
vas ; the fugar was five or fix pounds ; all which was
very welcome to me, efpecially the brandy and fugar,
of which I had had none left for many years.

When we had carried all thefe things on fliore (the
oars, maft, fail, and rudder of the boat, were carried
before, as above), we knocked a great hole in her
bottom, that if they had come ftrong enough to mailer
us, yet they could not carry off the boat.

Indeed it was not much in my thoughts, that we
could be capable to recover the flap ; but my view
was, that if they went away without the boat, 1 did
not much queftion to make her fit again to carry us
away to the Leeward Iflands, and call upon our
friends the Spa7iiards in my way; for I had them ftiH
in my thoughts.

While we were thus preparing our defigns, and
hadfirft, by main ftrength, heaved the boat up upon
the beach, fo high that the tide would not float her
off at high-water mark; and, befides, had broken
an hole in her bottom, too big to be quickly flopped,
^nd were fat down mufing what we fhould do ; we
heard the fhip fire a gun, and faw her make a waft
with her ancient, as a fignal for the boat to come on
board ; but no boat flirred ; and they fired feveral
times, making other fignals for the boat.

At laft, when all their fignals and firings proved
fruitlefs, and they found the boat did not ftir, we
faw them (by the help of our glaffes) hoift another
boat out, and row towards the Ihore ; and we found.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 329

as they approached, that there were no lefs than ten
men in her, and that they had fire arms with them.

As the ftiip lay almoft two leagues from the fliore,
we had a full view of them as they came, and a plain
fight of the men, even of their faces ; becaufe the
tide having fet them a little to the eaft of the other
boat, they rowed up under fhore, to come to the
fanie place where the other had landed, and where
the boat lay.

By this means, I fay, we had a full view of them,
and the captain knew theperfons and charaders of all
the men in the boat ; of whom he faid that there
\vere three very honeft fellows, who, he was fure,
were led into this confpiracy by the reft, being over-
powered and frighted.

But that for the boatfwain, who, it feems, was
the cjiief officer among them, and all the reft, they
were as outrageous as any of the fiiip's crew ; and
were, no doubt, made defperate in their new enter-
prize ; and terribly apprehenfive he was, that they
would be too powerful for us.

I fmilcd at him, and told him, that men in our cir-
cumftances were paft the operations of fear : that
feeing almoft every condition that could be was better
than that we were fuppofed to be in, we ought to ex-
pert that the confequence, whether death or life?
would be fure to be a deliverance ; I afkedhim, what
he thought of the circumftances of my life, and
whether a deliverance was not worth venturing for ?
And where. Sir, faid I, is your belief of my being pre-
ferved here on purpofe to fave your life, which ele-
vated you a little while ago ? For my part, faid I,
there feems tq be but one thing amifs in all the pro-

fpea

33^ LIFE AND ADVENTURES

fpea of it. What's that ? fays he. Why, faid I,
'tis that, • as you fay, there are three or four honeft
fellows among them, which fhould be fpared;
had they been all of the wicked part of the crew,
I fhould have thought God's providence had fmgled
them out to deliver them into your hands ; for, de-
pend upon it, every man »of them that comes afhore
are our own, and fhall die or live, as they behave
to us.

As I fpoke this with a raifed voice, and cheerful
countenance, I found it greatly encouraged him ; fo
we fet vigoroufly to our bufmefs : we had, upon the
firft appearance of the boat's coming from the fhip,
confidered of feparating our prifoners, and had in-
deed fecured them effeftually.

Two of them, of whom the captain was lefs af-
fured than ordinary, I fent with Friday^ and one of
the three (delivered men) to my cave, where they
were remote enough, and out of danger of being
heard or difcovered, or of finding their way out of
the woods, if they could have delivered themfelves :
here they left them bound, but gave them provifions,
and promifed them, if they continued there quietly, to
give them their liberty in a day or two ; but that \i
they attempted their efcape, they fhould be put to
death without mercy. They promifed faithfully to
bear their confinement with patience, and were very
thankful that they had fuch good ufage as to have
provifions, and a light left them ; for Friday gave
them candles (fuch as we made ourfelves) for their
comfort ; and they did not know but that he flood
centinel over them at the entrance.

The

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 331

The Other prifoners had better ufage ; two of them
were kept pinioned indeed, becaufe the captain was
not free to truft them ; but the other two were taken
into my fervice upon their captain's recommendation,
and upon their folemnly engaging to live and die
with us ; fo, with them and the three honeft men,
we were feven men well armed ; and I made no
doubt we Ihould be able to deal well enough with the
ten that were coming, confidering that the captain
had faid, there were three or four honeft men among
them alfo.

As foon as they got to the place where their other
boat lay, they ran their boat into the beach, and
came all on Ihore, hauling the boat up after them,
which I was glad to fee ; for I was afraid they would
rather have left the boat at an anchor, fome diftance
from the (hore, with fome hands in her to guard her j
^nd fo we fhould not be able to feize the boat.

Being on fhore, the firft thing they did, they ran
all to the other boat ; and it was eafy to fee they were
under a great furprife to find her ftripped, as above,
cf all that was in her, and a great hole in her bot-
tom.

After they had mufed awhile upon this, they fet
up two or three great Ihouts, hallooing with all their
might, to try if they could make their companions
hear ; but all was to no purpofe ; then they came
all clofe in a ring, and fired a volley of their fmall
arms, which indeed we heard, and the echoes made
the woods ring ; but it was all one ; thofe in the
cave, we were fur«, could not hear ; and thofe in
our keeping, though they heard it well enough, yet
durft give no anfwer to them. '

They

332 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

They were fo aftonifhed at the furprife of this, that,
as they told us afterwards, they refolved to go all on
board again to their fhip, and let them know there,
that the men were all murdered, and the long-boat
ftaved ; accordingly, they immediately launched the
boat again, and got all of them on board.

The captain was* terribly amazed, and even con-
founded at this, believing they would go on board
the fhip again, and fet fail, giving their comrades up
for loft, and fo he fhould ftill lofe the fhip, which
he was in hopes we fhould have recovered ; but he
was quickly as much frighted the other way..

They had not been long put off with the boat, but
we perceived them all coming on fhore again ; but
with this new meafure in their conduft, which, it
feems, they confulted together upon ; viz. to leave
three men in the boat, and the reft to go on fhore,
and go up into the country to look for their fellows.

This was a great difappointment to us ; for now
we were at a lofs what to do; for our feizing thofe
feven men on fhore would be no advantage to us if we
let the boat efcape, becaufe they would then row
away to the fhip ; and then the reft of them would
be fure to weigh, and fet fail, and fo our recovering
the fliip would be loft.

However, we had no remedy but to wait and fee
what the iffue of things might prefent : the feven men
came on fhore, and the three who remained in the
boat put her off to a good diftance from the fhore,
and came to an anchor to wait for them ; fo that
it was impoflible for us to come at them in the
boat,

Thofa

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 333

Thofe that came on fhore kept clofe together,
marching towards the top of the little hill, under
which my habitation lay ; and we could fee them
plainly, though they could not perceive us : we
could have been very glad they would have come
nearer to us, fo that we might have fired at them j
or that they would have gone farther off, that wc
might have come abroad.

But when they were come to the brow of the hill,
where they could fee a great way in the valley and
woods, which lay towards the north-eaft part, and
where the ifland lay loweft, they fhouted and hallooed
till they were weary ; and not caring, it feems, to
venture far from the fhore, nor far from one ano-
ther, they fat down together under a tree, to con-
fider of it : had they thought fit to have gone to fleep
there, as the other party of them had done, they had
done the job for us ; but they were too full of ap-
prehenfions of danger, to venture to go to fleep,
though they could not tell what the danger was they
had to fear neither.

The captain made a very juft propofal to me upon
this confultation of theirs; viz. that perhaps they
would all fire a volley again, to endeavour to make
their fellows hear, and that we fhould all fally upon
them, juft at the junfture when their pieces were all
difcharged, and they would certainly yield, and we
fhould have them without bloodfhed. I liked the
propofal, provided it was done while we w^re near
enough to come up to them, before they could load
their pieces again.

But

334 ^I^^ AND ADVENTURES?

But this event did not happen, and we lay ftiil si
long time, very irrefolute what courfe to take ; at
length I told them, there would be nothing to be
done in my opinion till night ; and then, if they did
not return to the boat, perhaps we might find a way
to get between them and the fhore, and fo might ufe
fome ftratagem with them in the boat, to get them
on fhore.

We waited a great while, though very impatient
for their removing, and were very uneafy: when,
after long confultations, we law them Hart all up,
and march down toward the fea : it feems, they had
fuch dreadful apprehenfions upon them of the dan-
ger of the place, that they refolved to go on board
the fhip again, give their companions over for loft,
and fo go on with their intended voyage with the
fliip.

As foon as I perceived them go towards the fhore>
I imagined it to be as it really was ; that they had
given over their fearch, and were for going back
again ; and the captain, as foon as I told him my
thoughts, was ready to fink at the apprehenfions of
it ; but I prefently thought of a ftratagem to fetch
them back again, and which anfwered my end to
a tittle.

I ordered Friday^ and the captain's mate, to go
over the little creek weftward, towards the place
where the favages came on fhore when Friday wa^
refcued ; and as foon as they came to a little rifing
ground, at about half a mile's diftance, I bade them
halloo as loud as they could, and v/ait till they found
the feamen heard them; that as foon as ever they

heard

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* 335

heard the feaman anfwer them, they fhould return it
again, and then, keeping out of fight, take a round,
always anfwering when the others hallooed, to draw
them as far into the ifland, and among the woods, as
poflible, and then wheel about again to me, by fuch
ways as I direfted.

They were juft going into the boat, when Friday
and the mate hallooed, and they prefently heard them?
and anfwering run along the fhore weftward, to-
wards the voice they heard, when they were pre-
fently flopped by the creek, where, the water being
up, they could not get over, and called for the
boat to come up, and fet them over, as indeed I
expefted.

When they had fet themfelves over, I obferved
that the boat being gone up a good way into the
creek, and as it were in an harbour within the land,
they took one of the three men out of her to go along
with them, and left only two in the boat, having
fattened her to the (lump of a little tree on the
Ihore.

This was what I wiflied for, and immediately
leaving Friday and the captain's mate to their bufi-
nefs, I took the reft with me, and, croffmg the
creek out of their fight, we furprifed the two men,
before they were aware, one of them lying on Ihore,
and the other being in the boat; the fellow on
fhore was between fleepirig and waking, and going
to ftart up, the captain, who was foremoft, ran
in upon him, and knocked him down, and then
called out to him in the boat to yield, or he was a
dead man.

There

336 ^1^£ AND ADVENTURES

There needed very few arguments to perfuade a
lingle man to yield, when he faw five men upon him,
and his comrade knocked down; befides, this was,
it feems, one of the three who were not fo hearty in
the mutiny as the reft of the crew, and therefore was
eafily perfuaded not only to yield, but afterwards to
join very fincerely with us»

In the mean time, Friday and the captain's mate fo
well managed their bufinefs with the reft, that they
drew them, by hallooing and anfwering, from one
hill to another, and from one wood to another, till
they not only heartily tired them, but left them where
they were very fure they could not reach back to the
boat before it was dark ; and indeed they were
heartily tired themfelves alfo by the time they came
back to us.

We had nothing now to do but to watch for them
in the dark, and to fall upon them, fo as to make
fure work with them.

It was feveral hours after Friday came back to me
before they came back to their boat ; and we could
hear the foremoft of them, long before they came
quite up, calling to thofe behind to come along ; and ^
could alfo hear them anfwer, and complain how lame
and tired they were, and not being able to come any
fafter, which was very welcome news to us.

At length they came up to the boat j but it is im-
poflible to exprefs their confufion, when they found
the boat faft a-ground in the creek. The tide ebbed
out, and their two men gone ; we could hear them
call to one another in a moft lamentable manner,
telling one another they were gotten into an enchanted
ifland j that either there were inhabitants in it, and

they

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 337

ihey fhould all be murdered; or elfe there were
devils or fpirits in it, and they fhould be all carried
away and devoured.

They hallooed again, and called their two comrades
by their names a great many times, but no anfwer :
after fome time, we could fee them, by the little light
there was, run about wringing their hands, like men
in defpair; and that fometimes they would go and
lit down in the boat to reft themfelves, then come-
alhore, and walk about again, and fo the fame thing
over again.

My men would fain have had me given them leave
to fall upon them at once in the dark ; but I was
willing to take them at fome advantage, fo to fpare
them, and kill as few of them as I could; and
efpecially I was unwilling to hazard the killing any
pf our men, knowing the other men were very well
armed: I refolved to wait to fee if they did not fe-
parate; and therefore, to make fure of them, I drew
my ambufcade nearer ; and ordered Friday and the
captain to creep upon their hands and feet as clofe to
the ground as they could, that they might not be
difcovered, and get as near them as they could pof.
fibly, before they offered to fire.

They had not been long in that pofture, till
the boatfwain, who was the principal ringleader of
the mutiny, and had now fhewn himfelf the moft
dejedted and difpirited of all the reft, came v\^alking
towards them with two more of the crew; the captain
was fo eager, at having the principal rogue fo much
in his power, that he could hardly have patience to
let him come fo near as to be fure of him ; for they
only heard his tongue before : but when they came

Vol. I. Z nearer,

338 JLIFE AND ADVENTUR^ES

nearer, the captain and Friday^ ftarting up on their
feet, let fly at them.

The boatfwain was killed upon the fpot ; the next
man was (hot in the body, and fell juft by him, though
he did not die till an hour or two after ; and the third
run for it.

At the noife of the fire, I immediately advanced
with my whole army, which was now eight men;'
viz. myfelf generaliflimo ; Friday my lieutenant-
general ; the captain and his two men, and the
three prifoners of war, whom he had trufted with arms.-

We came upon them indeed in the dark, fo that
they could not fee our number ; and I made the man
they had left in the boat, who was now one of us, to
call them by name, to try if I could bring them to a
parley, and fo might perhaps reduce them to terms ;
which fell out jufl as we dcfired : for indeed it was-
eafy to think, as their condition then was, they would
be very willing to capitulate ; fo he calls ouc, as loud
as he could, to one of them, Tom Smith y To?n Sfnitb^
Tom Stnith anfwered immediately. Who's that ! Ro^
bin/on ! For it feems he knew his voice. The other
anfwered. Ay, ay ; for God's fake, Tom Smithy throw
down your arms, and yield, or you are all dead men
this moment.

Who mufl we yield to ? Where are they ? fays
Smith again. Here they are, fays he ; here is our
captain and fifty men with him, have been hunting,
you this two hours ; the boatfwain is killed ; Will
Frye is wounded, and I am a prifoner ; and if you
do not yield, you are all loft.

Will they give us quarter then ? fays Tom Smithy
and we will yield. Til go and afk, if youpromife to

yieldy

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* 339

yield, fays Robinfom So he a&ed the captain, and
the captain himfelf then calls out ; You, Smithy you
know my voice, if you lay down your arms imme*
diately, and fubmit, you fhall have your lives, all but
Will Atkim.

Upon this Will Atkins cried out, For God's fake*
captain, give me quarter : what have I done ? they
have been all as bad as I: (which by the way was not
true, either; for it feems this Will Atkins was the
firft man that laid hold of the captain when they firft
mutined, and ufed him barbaroufly, in tying his
hands, and giving him injurious language :) how-
ever, the captain told him he muft lay down his
arms at difcretion, and truft to the governor's mer-
cy, by which he meant me j for they all called me
governor.

-In a word, they all laid down their arms, and
begged their lives ; and I fent the man that had
parlied with them, and two more, who bound them
all ; and then my great army of fifty men, which,
particularly with thofe three, were all but eight,
came up and feized upon them all, and upon their
boat, only that I kept myfelf and one more out of
fight, for reafons of (late.

Our next work was to repair the boat, and to think
of feizing the fhip ; and as for the captain, now he
had leifure to parley with them, he expoftulated with
them upon the villainy of their praftices with him,
and at length, upon the farther wickednefs of their
defign ; and how certainly it muft bring them to
mifery and diftrefs in the end, and perhaps to the
gallows.

Z 2 They

34<I> LIF£ AND AbVENtUBLEd

They all appeared very penitent, and begged hard
for their lives : as for that, he told them they were
none of his prifoners, but the commander's of the
ifland; that they thought they had fet him on fliore
in a barren uninhabited ifland ; but it had pleafed
God fo to direfl: them, that the ifland was inhabited,
and that the governor was an Englijhman ; that he
might hang them all there, if he pleafed ; but as he had
given them all quarter, he fuppofed he would fend
them to England^ to be dealt with there as juflice
required, except Atkins^ whom he was commanded
by the governor to advife to prepare for death j for
that he would be hanged in the morning.

Though this was all a fidion of his own> yet it
had its delired effeO; : Atkins fell upon his knees to
beg the captain to intercede with the governor for his
life ; and all the refl begged of him for God's fake,
that they might not be fent to England.

It now occurred to me, that the time of our deliver-
ance was come, and that it would be a mofl: eafy
thing to bring thefe fellows in to be hearty in getting
pofTeflTion of the fliip; fo I retired in the dark from
them, that they might not fee what kind of a gover-
nor they had, and called the captain to me; when I
called, as at a good diftance, one of the men was
ordered to fpeak again, and fay to the captain, Cap-
tain, the commander calls for you ; and prefently the
captain replied. Tell his excellency I am jufl: a com-
ing. This more perfeftly amufed them; and they
all believed, that the commander was jufl: by with
his fifty men.

Upon the captain's coming to me, I told him my.
projeft for feizing the fliip, which he liked won-
derfully

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 341

derfully well, and refolved to put it in execution the
next morning.

But, in order to execute it with more art, and to
be fecure of fuccefs, I told him we muft divide the
prifoners, and that he fhould go and take Atkins^ and
two more of the word of them, and fend them
pinioned to the cave where the others lay : this was
committed to Friday^ and the two men who came on
fliore with the captain.

They conveyed them to the cave, as to a prilon ;
and it was indeed a difmal place, efpecially to men in
their condition.

The others I ordered to my bower, as I called it,
of which I have given a full defcriptioji ; and as it
was fenced in, and they pinioned, the place was
fecure enough, confidering they were upon their be-
haviour.

To thefe in the morning I fent the captain, who
was to enter into a parley with them ; in a word, to
try them, and tell me, whether he thought they
might be trufted or no, to go on board, and furprife
the fhip : he talked to them of the injury done him,
of the condition they were brought to ; and that
though the governor had given them quarter for their
lives, as to the prefent aftion, yet that if they were
fent to England^ they would all be hanged in chains,
to be fure ; but that if they would join in fuch an
attempt, as to recover the fhip, he would have the
governor's engagement for their pardon.

Any one may guefs how readily fuch a propofal
would be accepted by mennn their condition; they
fell down on their knees to the captain, and pro-

Z 3 * mifed

342 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

mifed with the deepeft imprecations, that they wouI4
be faithful to him to the laft drop, and that they
fliould owe their lives to him, and would go with him
all over the world ; that they would own him for si
father to them as long as they lived.

Well, fays the captain, I muft go and tell the go-
vernor what you fay, and fee what I can do to bring
him to confent to it ; fo he brought me an account
of the temper he found them in ; and that he verily
believed they would be faithful.

However, that we might be very fecure, I told hin\
he fliould go back again, and choofe out five of them,
and tell them, that they Ihould fee that they did not
want men ; but he would take out thofe five to be hia •
affiftants, and that the governor would keep the other
two, and the three that were fent prifoners to the
caftle, (my cave) as hoftages, for the fidelity of thofe
five ; and that if they proved unfaithful in the exe-
cution, the five hoftages fhould be hanged in chains
alive upon the fhore.

This looked fevere, and convinced them that the
governor was in earneft ; however, they had no way
left them but to accept it ; and it was now the bufindk
of the prifoners, as much as of the captain, to per-*
fuade the other five to do their duty.

Our ftrength was now thus ordered for the expedi-
tion: I. The captain, his mate, and paffenger. a*
Then the two prifoners of the firft gang, to whom,,
having their charafters from the captain, I had given
their liberty, and trufted them with arms. 3. The
other two whom I kept till now in my bower
pinioned ; but, upon the captain's motion, had now

releafed. ,

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 343

feleafed. 4. Thefe five releafed at laft ; fo that they
were twelve in all, befides five we kept prifoners in
the cave for hoftages.

I aflced the captain if he was willing to venture with
thefe hands on board the fliip : for, as for me, and
my man Friday^ I did not think it was proper for us to.
ftir, having feven men left behind ; and it was em-
ployment enough for us to keep them afunder, and
fupply them with viduals.

As to the five in the cave, I refolved to keep them
faft ; but Friday went twice a day to them, to fupply
them with neceflfaries ; and I made the other two
carry provifions to a certain diftance, where Friday
was to take it.

When I fliewed myfelf to the two hoftages, it was
with the captain, who told them, I was the perfon
the governor had ordered to look after them, and
that it was the governor's pleafure that they Ihould
not ftir any where but by my direftion ; that if they
did, they fliould be fetched into the caftle, and be
laid in irons ; fo that as we never fufFered them to fee
me as governor, fo I now appeared as another perfon,
and fpoke of the governor, the garrifon, the caftle#
and the like, upon all occafions.

The captain now had no difficulty before him, but
to furnifh his two boats, ftop the breach of one, and
man them : he made his pafTenger captain of one,
with four other men ; and himfelf, and his mate,
and five more, went in the other : and they con-
trived their bufinefs very well ; for they came up to
the fhip about midnight : as foon as they came within
call of the (hip, he made Robin/on hail them, and
Z 4 tell

344 ^IFE AND ADVENTURIS

tell them he had brought oflFthe men and the boat, but
that it was a long time before they had found them,
and the like ; holding them in a chat, till they came
to the fliip's fide ; when the captain and the mate,
entering firft with their arms, immediately knocked
down the fecond mate and carpenter with the but end
of their mufquets, being very faithfully feconded by
their men ; they fecured all the reft that were upon
the main and quarter-decks, and began to faften the
hatches to keep them down who were below, when
the other boat, and their men, entering at the fore-
chains, fecured the forecaftle of the Ihip, and the
fkuttle which went down into the cook-room, making
three men they found there prifoners.

When this was done, and all fafe upon the deck,
the captain ordered the mate with three men to break
into the round houfe, where the new rebel captain
lay, and, having taken the alarm, was gotten up, and
AVith two men and a boy had gotten fire arms in their
hands ; and when the mate with a crow fplit open the
door, the new captain and his men fired boldly among
them, and wounded the mate with a mufquet ball,
which broke his arm, and wounded two more of the
men, but killed nobody.

The mate, calling for help, rufhed, however, into
the round-houfe, wounded as he was, and with his
piftol Ihot the new captain through the head, the
bullets entering at his mouth, and came out again
behind one of his ears ; fo that he never fpoke a
word ; upon which the reft yielded, and the fhip'
was taken efFeftually, without any more lives being •
loft.

As

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 345

As foon as the fhip was thus fecured, the captain
ordered feven guns to be fired, which was the fignal
agreed upon with me, to give me notice of his fuc-
cefs ; which you may be fure I was very gtad to hear,
having fat watching upon the fliore for it, till near
two of the clock in the morning.

Having thus heard the fignal plainly, I laid me
down ; and it having been a day of great fatigue to
me, I flept very found, till I was fomething furprifcd
with the noife of a gun ; and prefently ftarting up, I
heard a man call me by the name of Governor, go-
vernor ; and prefently I knew the captain's voice,
when climbing up to the top of the hill, there he
flood, and pointing to the fhip, he embraced me in
his arms : My dear friend ^and deliverer, fays he,
there's your fhip, for fhe is all your's, and fo are we,
and all that belong to her. I cafl my eyes to the
fhip, and there fhe rode within a little more than
half a mile of the fhore ; for they had weighed her
anchor as foon as they were maflers of her ; and the
weather being fair, had brought her to an anchor jufl
againfl the mouth of a little creek j and the tide being
up, the captain had brought the pinnace in near the
place where I firft landed my rafts, and fo landed jufl
at my door.

I was, at firfl, ready to fink down with the fur-
prife : for I faw my deliverance indeed vifibly put
into my hands, all things eafy, and a large fhip
jufl ready to carry me away whither I pleafed to
go : at firfl, for fome time, I was not able to anfwer
one word ; but as he had taken me in his arms,
I held fafl by him, or I fhould have fallen to the
ground,

He

34^ I^IFE AND ADVENTURES

He perceived the furprife, and immediately pulled
a bottle out of his pocket, and gave me a dram of
cordial, which he had brought on purpofe for me •
after I drank it, I fat down upon the ground, and
though it brought me to myfelf, yet it was a good
while before I could fpeak a word to him.

All this while the poor man was in as great an ec-^
ftafy as I, only not under any furprife, as I was ;
and he faid a thoufand kind tender things to me, to
compofe and bring me to myfelf ; but fuch was the
flood of joy in my breaft, that it put all my fpirits
into confufion ; at laft it broke into tears, and in a
little while after I recovered my fpeech.

Then I took my turn, and embraced him as my
deliverer ; and we rejoiced together : I told him, 1
looked upon him as a man fent from Heaven to de-
liver me, and that the whole tranfadtion feemed to
be a chain of wonders ; that fuch things as thefc
were the teftimonies we had of a fecret hand of Pro^
vidence governing the world, and an evidence, that
the eyes of an infinite power could fearch into the
remoteft corner of the world, and fend help to the
miferable whenever he pleafed.

I forgot not to lift up my heart in thankfulnefs to
Heaven ; and what heart could forbear to blefs him,
wh6 had not only in a miraculous manner provided
for one in fuch a wildernefs, and in fuch a defolate
condition, but from whom every deliverance muft
always be acknowledged to pr6ceed !

When we had talked a while, the captain told me,
he had brpught me fome little refrefliments, fuch as
the fhip afforded, and fuch as the wretches, who had
been fo long his mafters, had not plundered him of:

upon

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 347

upon this he called aloud to the boat, and bids his
men bring the things afliore that were for the gover^
nor ; and indeed it was a prefent, as if I had been
one, not that I was to be carried along with them,
but as if I had been to dwell upon the ifland ftill,
and they were to go without me.

Firft, he had brought me a cafe of bottles full of
excellent cordial waters, fix large bottles of Ma-
deira wine ; the bottles held two quarts a piece ; two
pounds of excellent good tobacco, twelve good pieces
of the Ihip's beef, and fix pieces of pork, with a bag
of peas, and about an hundred weight of bifcuit.

He brought me alfo a box of fugar, a box of flour,
a bag full of lemons, and two bottles of lime-juice,
and abundance of other things : but befides thefe,
and what was a thoufand times more ufeful to me,
he brought me fix clean new Ihirts, fix very good
neckcloths, two pair of gloves, one pairof fhoes, an
hat, and one pair of ftockings, and a very good fuit
of clothes of his own, which had been worn but very
Jittle : in a word, he clothed me from head to foot.

It was a very kind and agreeable prefent, as any
one may imagine, to one in my circumftances ; but
never was any thing in the world of that kind fo un-
pleafant, aukward, and uneafy, as it was to me to
wear fuch clothes at their firft putting on.

After thefe ceremonies paffed, and after all his good
things were brought into my little apartment, we be-
gan to confult what was to be done with the prifoners
we had ; for it was worth confidering whether we
might venture to take them away with us or no, ef-
pecially two of them, whom we knew to be incorrigi-
ble and refractory to the laft degree i and the captain

faid.

348 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

faid, he knew they were fuch rogues, that there was
no obliging them ; and if he did carry them away,
it muft be in irons, as malefaftors, to be delivered
over to juftice at the firft Englijh colony he could
come at ; and I found that the captain himfelf was
very anxious about it.

Upon this, I told him, that if he defired it, I durft
undertake to bring the two men he fpoke of, to make
it their X)wn requeft that he fliould leave them upon
the ifland : I fhould be very glad of that, fays the
captain, with all my heart.

Well, faid I, I will fend for them, and talk with
them for you : fo I caufed Friday and the two hof-
tages, for they were now difcharged, their com-
rades having performed their promife; I fay, I caufed
them to go to the cave, and bring up the five men,
pinioned as they were, to the bower, and keep thera
there till I came.

After fome time, I came thither dreffed in my new
habit, and now I was called governor again. Being
all met, and the captain with me, I caufed the men
to be brought before me, and I told them, I had had
a full account of their villainous behaviour to the
captain, and how they had run away with the fhip,
and were preparing to commit farther robberies ; but
that Providence had enfnared them in their own ways,
and that they were fallen into the pit which they had
digged for others.

I let them know, that by my direftion the fhip had
been fcized, that fhe lay now in the road, and they
might fee by and by, that their new captain had re-
ceived the reward of his villainy j for that they might
fee him hanging eit the yard-arm.

That

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* 349

That as to them, I wanted to know what they had
to fay, why I Ihould not execute them as pirates ta-
ken in the fad, as by my commiffion they could not
doubt I had authority to do.

One of them anfwered in the name of the reft,
that they had nothing to fay but this, That when
they were taken, the captain promifed them their
lives, and they humbly implored my mercy : but I
told them I knew not what mercy to fhew them ;
for, as for myfelf, I had refolved to quit the ifland
with all my men, and had taken paffage with the
captain to go for England : and as for the captain, he
could not carry them to England^ other than as pri-
foners in irons to be tried for mutiny, and running
away with the fhip ; the confequence of which, they
muft needs know, would be the gallows ; fo that I
could not tell which was beft for them, unlefs they
had a mind to take their fate in the ifland ; if they de-
fired that, I did not care^ as I had liberty to leave
it J I had fome inclination to give them their lives,
if they thought they could fhift on fhore. They feem-
ed very thankful for it ; faid they would much rather
venture to ftay there, than to be carried to England
to be hanged j fo I left it on that iflue.

However, the captain feemed to make fome difficul-
ty of it, as if he durft not leave them there : upon this
I feemed to be a little angry with the captaiil, and
told him, that they were my prifoners, not his j and
that feeing I had offisred them fo much favour, I
would be as good as my word ; and that if he did
not think fit to confent to it, I would fet them at
liberty as I found them ; and if he did not like that,
he might take them again, if he could catch them.

Upon

^^O lI^E AND AbVEKTURESI

Upon this they appeared very thankful, and 1 ZC-*
tordingly fet them at liberty, and bade them retire
into the woods, to the place whence they canxe, and
I would leave them fome fire arms, fome ammunition,
and fome direftions how they fhould live very well,
if they thought fit.

Upon this, I prepared to go on board the fhip j
but told the captain, that I would ftay that night to
prepare my things ; and defired him to go on board
in the mean time, and keep all right in the ihip, and
fend the boat on fliore the next day for me ; order-
ing him in the mean time, to caufe the new captain
who was killed, to be hanged at the yard-arm, that
thefe men might fee him.

When the captain was gone, I fent for the meit
up to me to my apartment, and entered ferioufly
into difcourfe with them of their circumftances : I
told them,* I thought they had made a right choice j
that if the captain carried them away, they would cer-
tainly be hanged : I fliewed them their captain hang-
ing at the yard-arm of the (hip, and told them they
had nothing lefs to expeft.

When they had all declared their willingnefs to
ftay, I then told them, I would let them into the
ftory of my living there, and put them into the way
of making it eafy to them : accordingly I gave them
the whole hiftory of the place, and of my coming to
it ; fhewed them my fortifications, the way I made
my bread, planted my corn, cured my grapes ; and,
in a word, all that was neceffary to make them eafy.
I told them the ftory of the fixteen Spaniards that
were to be expefted j for whom I left a letter, and

made

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 35 1

made them promife to treat them in common with
themfelves.

I left them my fire-arms; viz. five mufquets,
three fowling-pieces,. and three fwords: I had about
a barrel of powder left ; for after the firft year or two
I ufed but little, and wafted none : I gave them a.
defcription of the way I managed the goats, and di-
reftions to milk and fatten them, to make both but-
ter and cheefe.

In a word, I gave them every part of my own ftory ;
and I told them, I would prevail with the captain to
leave them two barrels of gunpowder more, and
fome garden-feed, which I told them I would have
been very glad of; alfo I gave them the bag of peas
which the captain had brought me to eat, and bade
them be fure to fow and increafe them.

Having done all this, I left them the next day,
and went on board the fliip : we prepared immediate-
ly to fail, but did not weigh that night : the next
morning early, two of the five men came fwimming
to the fhip's fide, and making a moft lamentable com-
plaint of the other three, begged to be taken into
the fiiip, for God's fake, for they fhould be murder-
ed ; and begged the captain to take them on board
though he hanged them immediately.

Upon this the captain pretended to have no power
without me ; but after fome difficulty, and after their
folemn promifes of amendment, they were taken on
board, and were fome time after foundly whipped
and pickled ; after which they proved very honeft and
quiet fellows.

Some time after this, I went with the boat on
fliore, the tide being up, with the things promifed to

the

35^ JLI^E akd adve^ttur^s .

the men^ to which the captain, at my interceflion^.
caufed their chefts and clothes to be added, which
they took, and were very thankful for : I alfo en-
couraged them, by telling them, that if it lay in my
way to fend a veffel to take them in, I would not
forget them.

When I took leave of this ifland, I carried on
board for reliques the great goat's Ikin cap I had
made, my umbrella, and one of my parrots ; alfo I
forgot not to take the money I formerly mentioned,
which had lain by me fo long ufelefs that it was
grown rufty, or tarnifhed, and could hardly pafs for
filver, till it had been a little rubbed and handled ;
and alfo the money I found in the wreck of the Spa^
nijh fhip.

And thus I left the ifland the nineteenth of Decem-
ber, as I found by the fhip's account, in the year
1686, after I had been upon it eight and twenty
years, two months, and nineteen days ; being deli-
vered from the fecond captivity the fame day of the
month that I firft made my efcape in the Barco4ong0y
from among the Moors of Sallee.

In this veflel, after a long voyage, I arrived in
England the eleventh of June, in the year 1687,
having been thirty and five years abfent.

When I came to England^ I was a perfeQ: ftranger
to all the world, as if I had never been known there :
my benefaftor, and faithful fteward, whom I had
left in truft with my money, was alive, but had had
great misfortunes in the world, was become a widow
the fecond time, and very low in the world : I made
her eafy as to what Ihe owed me, afluring her, I
w^ould give her no trouble ; but on the contrary, in
gratitude to her former care and faithfulnefs to me,

I relieved

6F ROBINSON CRUSOE. 353

1 relieved her as my little flock would afford, which
at that time would indeed allow me to do but little
for her : but I affured her, I would never forget her
former kindnefs to me ; nor did I forget her, when
I had fufHcient to help her ; as fhall be obferved in
Its place.

I went down afterwards into Torkjhire ; but my
father was dead, and my mother, and all the family
extind ; except that I found two fiflers, and two
of the children of one of my brothers : and as I
had been long ago given over for dead, there had
been no provifion made for me, fo that, in a word,
I found nothing to relieve or affifl me ; and that
little money I had, would not do fo much for me as
to fettling in the world.

I met with one piece of gratitude indeed, which
I did not expeO: ; and this was, that the mafler of
the fhip, whom I had fo happily delivered, and by
the fame means faved the fhip and cargo, having
given a very handfome account to the owners, of the
manner how I had faved the lives of the men, and
the fhip, they invited me to meet them, and fome
other merchants concerned, and all together made
me a very handfome compliment upon that fubjeft,
and a prefent of almofl two hundred pounds fler-
liog.

But after making feveral refleftions upon the cir-
cumflances of my life, and how little way this would
go towards fettling me in the world, I refolved to go
to Lijbon^ and fee if I might not come by fome in-
formation of the ftate of my plantation in the Bra*
ftls^ and what was become of my partner, who, I

Vol. L a a had

354 ^IJPE AND ADVENTURES

had reafon to fuppofe, had fome years now given
me over for' dead.

With this view I took (hipping for Lijbon^ where
I arrived in April following ; my man Friday ac-
companying me very honeftly in all thefe ramblings,
and proving a moft faithful fervant upon all occa-
fions.

When I came to Lijbon^ I found out, by enquiry,
and to my particular fatisfaftion, my old friend, the
captain of the fliip, who firft took me up at fea, ofF
the fhore of Africa : he was now grown old, and
had left off the fea, having put his fon, who was far
from a young man, into his fhip ; and who ftill ufed
the Brafil trade. The old man did not know me,
and, indeed, I hardly knew him ; but I foon brought
myfelf to his remembrance, when I told him who I
was.

After fome paffionate expreflions of our old ac-
quaintance, I enquired, you may be fure, after my
plantation, and my partner : the old man told me,
he had not been in the Brajils for about nine years ;
but that he could affure me, that when he came
away, my partner was living ; but the truftees, who.m
I had joined with him, to take cognizance of my
part, were both dead ; that, however, he believed
that I would have a very good account of the im-
provement of the plantation ; for that, upon the
general belief of my being caft away and drowned,
my truftees had given in the account of the produce
of my part of the plantation, to the procurator
Fi/cal ; who had appropriated it, in cafe I never
came to claim it, one third to the King, and two-
thirds to the monaftery of St. Atigu/iine^ to be ex-
pended

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 35 j;

pended for the benefit of the poor, and for the con-
verfion of the Indians to the Catholic faith ; but that
if I appeared, or any one for me, to claim the in-
heritance, it would be reftored ; only that the im-
provement, or annual produQiion, being diftributed
to charitable ufes, could not be reftored ; but he
affured me, that the fteward of the king's revenue
(from lands) and the provedore, or fteward of the
monaftery, had taken great care all along, that the
incumbent, that is to fay, my partner, gave every
year a faithful account of the produce, of which
they received duly my moiety.

I afked him, if he knew to what height of im-
provement he had brought the plantation : and whe-
ther he thought it might be worth looking after ; or
whether, on my going thither, I fhould meet with
no obftrudlion to my poffeffing my juft right in the
moiety.

He told me, he could not tell exaflrly to what de-
gree the plantation was improved ; but this he knew,
that my partner was growing exceeding rich upon
the enjoying but one half of it ; and that, to the
beft of his remembrance, he had heard, that the king's
third of my part, which was, it feems, granted away
to fome other monaftry, or religious houfe, amounted
to above two hundred moidores a year ; that, as to
my being reftored to a quiet poffeffion of it, there
was no queftion to be made of that, my partner be-
ing alive to witnefs my title, and my name being alfo
inrolled in the regifter of the country. Alfo he told
me, that the furvivors of my two truftees were very
fair, honeft people, and very wealthy, and he be-
lieved I would not only have their affiftance for put-

A a 2 ting

35^ LI^E AND ADVENTURES

ting mie in poffeffion, but would find a very confide*
rable fum of money in their hands for my account,
being the produce of the farm, while their fathets
held the truft, and before it was given up, as above,
which, as he remembered^ was about twelve years*

I fhewed myfelf a little concerned and uneafy at
this account, and enquired of the old captain, how
it came to pafs, that the truftees fliould thus difpofe
of my effefts, when he knew that I had made my
will, and had made him, the Portuguefe captain,
my univerfal heir, &c.

He told me, that was true ; but that, as there was
no proof of my being dead, he could not afl: as exe-
cutor, until fome certain account fliould come of my
death ; and that, befides he was not willing to inter-
meddle with a thing fo remote : that it was true, he
had regiftered my will, and put in his claim ; ixidi
could he have given any account of my being dead
or alive, he would have afl:ed by procuration, and
taken pofleflion of the Ingenio (fo they called the
fugar-houfe) and had given his fon, who was now
at the Braftls^ order to do it.

But j (fays the old man) I have one piece of news
to tell you, which perhaps may not be fo acceptable
to you as the refl: ; and that is, that believing you
were loft, and all the world believing fo alfo, your
partner and truftees did offer to account to me in
your name, for fix or eight of the firft years of pro-
fit, which I received ; but there being at that time^
fays he, great dift)urfements for increafing the works^
building an ingenio^ and buying flaves, it did not
amount to near fo much as* afterwards it produced:
however, fays the old man, I fliall give you a true

account

ii^

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 357

account of what I have received in all, and how I
have difpofed of it.

After a few days farther conference with this an-
tient friend, he brought me an account of the fix
firft years income of my plantation, figned by ray
partner, and the merchant's truftees, being always
delivered in goods ; viz. tobacco in roll, and fugar
in chefts, befides rum, molafles, &c. which is the
confequence of a fugar-work j and I found by this
account, that every year the income confiderably
increafed : but, as above, the difburfement being
large, the fum at firft was fmall : however, the old
man let me fee, that he was debtor to me 470 moi-
dores of gold, befides 60 chefts of fugar, and 15
double rolls of tobacco, which were loft in his Ihip,
he having been fhipwrecked coming home to Li/bony
about eleven years after my leaving the place.

The good man then began to complain of his
misfortunes, and how he had been obliged to make
ufe of my money to recover his loffes,'and buy him
a Ihare in a new fhip ; however, my old friend, fays
he, you (hall not want a fupply in your neceflity ;
and as foon as my fon returns, you fhall be fully
fatisfied.

Upon this he pulls out an old pouch, and gives
me two hundred Portugal moidores in gold ; and
giving me the writings of his title to the fhip which
his fon was gone to the Brqfils in, of which he was
a quarter part owner, and his fon another^ he puts
them both in my hands for fecurity of the reft.

I was too much moved with the honefty and kind-
nefs of the poor man, to be able to bear this ; and
remembering what he had done forme, how he had

A a 3 taken

358 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

taken me up at fea, and how gcneroufly he had nfed
me on all occafions, and particularly how fincere a
friend he was now to me, I could hardly refrain
weeping at what he faid to me : Therefore, firft I
afked him if his circumftances admitted him to fpare
fo much money at that time, and if it would not
ftraiten him ? He told me he could not fay but it
might ftraiten him a little ; but, however, it was my
money, and I might want it more than he.

Every thing the good man faid was full of affec-
tion, and I could hardly refrain from tears while he
fpoke. In fliort, I took one hundred of the moi-
dores, and called for a pen and ink to give him a
receipt for them ; then I returned him the reft, and
told him, if ever I had poifeffion of the plantation^
I would return the other to him alfo, as indeed I
afterwards did ; and that, as to the bill of fale of his
part in his fon's fliip, I would not take it by any
means ; but that if I wanted the money, I found he
was honeft enough to pay me ; and if I did not,
but came to receive what he gave me reafon to ex-
peft, I would never have a penny more from him.

"When this was paffed, the old man began to afk
me if he fhould put me in a method to make my
claim to my plantation, I told him, I thought to
go over to it myfelf. He faid, I might do fo if I
pleafed ; but that if I did not, there were ways
enough to fecure my right, and immediately to ap-
propriate the profits to my ufe ; and as there were
fhips in the river of Lifbon^ juft ready to go away
to Braftl^ he made me enter my name in a public
regifter, with his affidavit, affirming upon oath that
I was alive, and that I was the fame perfon who

took;

' OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 359

took up the land for the planting the fald plantation
at firft.

This being regularly attefted by a notary, and a
procuration affixed, he direded me to fend it with a
letter of his writing, to a merchant of his acquaint-
ance at the place ; and then propofed my flaying
with him till an account came of the return.

Never any thing was more honourable than the
proceedings upon this procuration ; for in lefs than
feven months I received a large packet from the fur-
vivors of my truftees, the merchants, on whofe ac-
count I went to fea, in which were the following par-
ticular letters and papers inclofed.

Firft, There was the account current of the pro-
duce of my farm, or plantation, from the year when
their fathers had balanced with my old Portugal cap-
tain, being for fix years ; the balance appeared to
be 1 174 moidores in my favour.

Secondly, There was the account of four years
more while they kept the effefts in their hands, be-
fore the government claimed the adminiftration, as
being the effefts of a perfon not to be found, which
they call Civil Death ; and the balance of this, the
value of the plantation increafing, amounted to crui-
fadoes, which made 3241 moidores.

Thirdly, There was the prior of the Augtijiines
account, who had received the profits for above four- ^
teen years ; but not being able to account for what
was difpofed to the hofpital, very honeftly declared
he had 872 moidores not diftributed, which he ac-
knowledged to my account. As to the Idng's part,
that refunded nothing.

A a 4 There

360 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

There was alfo a letter of my partner's, congra-*
tulating me very afFedtionately upon my being alive ;
giving me an account how the eftate was improved,
and what it produced a year, with a particular of
the number of fquares, or acres, that it contained ;
how planted, how many flaves there were upon it ;
and, making two and twenty crofles for bleiEngs^
told me he had faid fo many Av^ Maria's to thapk
the Blejfed Virgin that I was alive ; inviting me very
paffionately to come over ai:id take ppffeffion of my
own, and in the mean time to give him orders to
whom he Ihourd deliver my efFe£l:s, if I did not come
myfelf; concluding with an hearty tender of his
friendfhip, and that of his family ; and fent me, asi
a prefent, feven fine leopards Ikins, which he had, it
feems, received from Africa by fome other fhip which
he had fent thither, and who, it feems, had made 2^
better voyage than I. He fent me alfo five chefts of
excellent fweetmeats, and an hundred pieces of gold
uncoined, not quite fo large as moidores.

By the fame fleet my merchant-truftees fhipped
me 1200 chefts of fugar, 800 rolls of tobacco, and
the reft of the whole account in gold.

I might well fay now, indeed, that the latter end
of ^ob was better than the beginning : It is impoffi-
ble to exprefs the flutterings of my very heart, when
I looked over thefe letters, and efpecially when I
found all my wealth about me ; for as the Braftl
Ihips come all in fleets, the fame fliips which brought
my letters brought my goodis ; and the effeAs were
fafe in the Tagus before the letter came to my hand i
In a word, I turned pale, and grew fick j and had

»ot

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 361

not the old man ran and fetched me a cordial, I be-
lieve the fudden furprife of joy had overfet nature,
and I had died upon thfe fpot.

Nay, after that, I continued very ill, and was fo
fome hours, till a phyfician being fent for, and fome*
thing of the real caufe of my illnefs being known,
he ordered me to be let blood, after which I had re-
lief, and grew well ; but I verily believe, if it had
not been eafed by the vent given in that manner to
the fpirits, I fhould have died.

I was now mafter all on a fudden, of above 50,000!.
fterling in money, and had an eftate, as I might
well call it, in the Brajils^ of above a thoufand
pounds a year, as fure as an eftate of lands in Eng^
land ; and, in a word, I was in a condition which*
J fcarce knew how to underftand, or how to compofe
piyfelf for the enjoyment of.

The firft thing I did was to recompenfe my ori-
ginal benefaftor, my good old captain, who had.
been firft charitable to me in my diftrefs, kind to me
in the beginning, and honeft to me at the end : I
fliewed him all that was fent me ; I told him that,
next to the providence of heaven, which difpofes
all things, it was owing to him ; and that it now lay
on me to rew;ard him, which I would do aii hundred
fold : So I firft returned to him the hundred moi-
dores I had received of him ; then I fent for a notary,
and caufed him to draw up a general releafe or dif-
charge for the 470 moidores, which he had acknow-
ledged he owed me, in the fulleft and firmeft manner
poflible ; after which I caufed a procuration to be
drawn, empowering him to be my receiver of the
annual profits of my plantation, and appointing my

partner

2,62 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

partner to account to him, and make the returns by
the ufual fleets to him ininiy name ; and a claufe in
the end, being a grant of i oo moldores a year to
him during his life, out of the effeds ; and 50 mol-
dores a year to his fon after him, for his life : And
thus I requited my old man.

I was now to confider which way to fteer my
courfe next, and what to do with the eftate that
Providence had thus put into my hands ; and, in-
deed, I had more care upon my head now than I
had in my filent ftate of life in the ifland, where I
wanted nothiflg but what I had, and had nothing
but what I wanted; whereas I had now a great
charge upon me, and my bufmefs was how to fecure
it : I had never a cave to hide my money in, or a place
where it might lie without lock or key, till it grew
mouldy and tarniflied before any body would med-
dle with it : On the contrary, I knew not where to put
it, or whom to truft with it ; my old patron, the cap-
tain, indeed, was honeft, and that was the only re-
fuge I had.

In the next place, my intereft in the Braftls feemed
to fummon me thither ; but now I could not tell
how to think of going thither till I had fettled my
affairs, and left my effefts in fome fafe hands behind
me. At firft I thought of my old friend the widow,
who, I knew, was honeft, and would be juft to me ;
but then ii\e was in years, and but poor, and, for
aught I knew, might be in debt ; fo that, in a word,
I had no way but to go back to England myfelf, and
take my effefts with me.

Iwas fome months, however, before I refolved
upon this J and therefore as I had rewarded the old

captain

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, , 363

captain fully» and to fatisfaftion, who had been my
former benefaflior, fo I bfgan to think of my poor
widow, whofe hufband had been my firfl; benefadkor,
and Ihe, while it was in Tier power, my faithful ftew-
ard and inftruQior : So the firft thing I did, I got a
merchant in Lijbon to write to his correfpondent in
London^ not only to pay a bill, but to go find her
out, and carry her in money an hundred pounds from
me, and to talk with her, and comfort her in her
poverty, by telling her flie fhould, if I lived, have a
farther fupply : At the fame time I fent my two
fillers in the country, each of them an hundred
pounds, they being, though not in want, yet not in
very good circumftances ; one having been married,
and left a' widow ; and the other having an hufband
not fo kind to her as he fhould be.

But among all my relations or acquaintances, I
could not yet pitch upon one to whom I durfl com-
mit the grofs of my flock, that J might go away to
the Brafils^ and leave things fafe behind me ; and
this greatly perplexed me.

I had once a mind to have gone to the Bra/thy
and have fettled myfelf there, for I was, as it were,
naturalized to the place ; but I had fome little fcru-
ple in my mind about religion, which infenfibly
drew me back, of which I fhall fay more prefently.
However, it was not religion that kept me from go-
ing thither for the prefent ; and as I had made no
fcruple of being openly of the religion of the coun-
try, all the while I was among them, fo neither did
I yet ; only that now and then having of late thought
more of it than formerly, when I began to think

of

364 X.IFE AND ADVENTURES

of living and dying among them, I began to regret
my having profeffed myfelf a Papift, and thought it
might not be the beft religion to die in.

But, as I have faid, this was not the main thing
that kept me from going to the Braftls^ but that really
I did not know with whom to leave my efFefts behind
me ; fo I refolved at laft to go to England with
them, where, if I arrived, I concluded I fhould make
fome acquaintance, or find fome relations, that would
be faithful to me ; and accordingly I prepared to go
for England with all my wealth.

In order to prepare things for my going home, I
firft, (the Braftl fleet being juft going away) refolved
to give anfwers fuitable t© the juft and faithful ac-
count of things I had from thence ; and firft to the
prior of St. Auguftine^ I wrote a ktter full of thanks
for his juft dealings, and the offer of the 872 moi-
dores, which was undifpofed of, which I defired might
be given j 500 to the monaftry ; and 372 to the poor, ,
as the prior fhould dired, defiring the good Padre's
prayers for me, and the like.

I wrote next a letter of thanks to my two truftees,
with all the acknowledgment that fo much juflice
and honefty called for ; as for fending them any
prefent, they were far above having any occafion
of it.

Laftly, I wrote to my partner, acknowledging his
induftry in the improving the plantation, and his in-
tegrity in increafing the ftock of the works, giving
him inftruftions for his future government of my
part according to the powers I had left with my old
patron, to whom I defired him to fend whatever bet-

camQ

OF kOiBIN'SOK CRItSdH. 36^-

t:ame due to me, till he fhould hear from me more
particularly : afluring him, that it was my intention,
not only to come to him, but to fettle myfelf there
for the remainder of my life. To this I added a very
handfome prefent of fome Italian filks for his wife
and two daughters, for fuch the captain's fon in-
formed me he had ; with two pieces of fine Englijh
broad-cloath, the beft I could get in Lijbon^ five
pieces of black bays, and fome Flanders lace of a good
value.

Having thus fettled my affairs, fold my cargo, and
turned all my eflfedts into good bills of exchange,
my next difficulty was, which way to go to England :
I had been accuflomed enough to the fea, and yet I
had a flrange averfion to go to England by fea at
that time ; and though I could give no reafon for it,
yet the difficulty increafed upon me fo much, that
though I had once fhipped my baggage in order to
go, yet I altered my mind, and that not once, but
two or three times.

It is true, I had been very unfortunate by fea, and
this might be one of the reafons : B\it let no man
flight the flrong impulfes of his own thoughts in
cafes of fuch moment. Two of the fhips which I
had fingled out to go in, I mean more particularly
fmgled out than any other, that is to fay, fo as in one
of them to put my things on board, and in the other
to have agreed with the captain ; I fay, two of thefe
(hips mifcarried, viz. one was taken by the Alge-^
rines, ,and the other was cafl: away on the Start, near
Torbay, and all the people drowned except three ;

fo

^66 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

fo that In either of thofe veffels I had been made ml-
ferable, and in which moft, it was hard to fay.

Having being thus harraffed in my thoughts, my
old pilot, to whom I communicated every thing-,
preffed me earneftly not to go to fea ; but either to
go by land to the Groyne^ and crofs over the Bay of
Bifcay to Rochdle^ from whence it was but an eafy
and fafe journey by land to Paris ^ and fo to Calais and
Dover ; or to go up to Madrid^ and fo all the way
by land through France.

In a word, I was fo prepoffeffed againft my going
by fea at all, except from Calais to Dover ^ that I re-
folved to travel all the way by land ; which, as I was
not in hafte, and did not value the charge, was by
much the pleafanter way; and to make it more fo,
my old captain brought an Englijh gentleman, the
fon of a merchant in Lijbon^ who was willing to
travel with me ; after which, we picked up two who
were Englijh^ and merchants alfo, and two young
Portuguefe gentlemen, the laft going to Paris only ;
fo that we were in all fix of us, and five fervants,
the two merchants, and the two Portuguefe^ con-
tenting themfelves with one fervant between two, to
fave the charge; and as for me I got an Englijh
failor to travel \vith me as a fervant, befides my man
Friday^ who was too much a ftranger to be capable
of fupplying the place of a fervant upon the road.

In this manner I fet out for Lijbon : and our com-
pany being all very v/ell mounted and armed, we
made a little troop, whereof they did me the honour
to call me captain, as well becaufe I was the oldefl:

man.

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 367

man, as becaufe I had two fervants, and indeed was
the original of the whole journey.

As I have troubled you with none of my fea jour-
nals, fo fliall I trouble you with none of my land
journals : But fome adventures that happened to us in
this tedious and difficult journey, I muft not omit.

When we came to Madrid^ we, being all of us
ftrangers to Spa'ui^ were willing to flay fome time to
fee the court of Spain^ and to fee what was worth
obferving ; but it being the latter part of the fum-
mer, . we haftened away, and fet out from Madrid
about the midftle of October : But when we came to
the edge of Navarre^ we were alarmed at feveral
towns on the way, with an account that fo much
fnow was fallen on the French fide of the mountains,
that feveral travellers were obliged to come back to
Pampeluna^ after having attempted, at an extreme
hazard, to pafs dn.

When we came to Pampeluna itfelf, we found it
fo indeed ; and to me that had been always ufed to
an hot climate, and indeed to countries where we
could fcarce bear any clothes on, the cold was in-
fufFerable ; nor, indeed, was it more painful than it
was furprifing, to come but ten days before out; of
the Old Cajlile^ where the weather was not only warm,
but very hot, and immediately to feel a wind from
the Pyrenean mountains, fo very keen, fo feverely
cold, as to be intolerable, and to endanger benumb-
ing and perifliing of our fingers and toes, was very
ftrange.

Poor Friday was really frighted when he faw the
mountains all covered with fnow, and felt cold wea-
ther.

368 LIFE Ai^D ADVEKTUHES

ther, which he had never feen or felt before in hifi
Ufe.

To mend the matter, after we came to Fampeluna^
it continued fnowing with fo much violence, and fo
long, that the people faid, winter was come before
its time ; and the roads, which were difficult before^
were now quite impaflable : in a word, the fnow lay-
in fome places too thick for us to travel ; and being
not hard frozen, as is the cafe in northern countries,
there was.no going without being in danger of being
buried alive every ftep. We ftaid no lefs than twenty
days at Pampeluna ; when (feeing the winter coming
on, and no likelihood of its being better, for it was
the fevereft winter all over Europe that had been
known in many years) I propofed that we fliould all
go away to Fontarabiaj and there take fhipping for
Bourdeaux^ which was a very little voyage.

But while we were confidering this, there came in
four French gentlemen, who, having been flopped
on the French fide of the paffes, as we were on the
Spanifh^ had found out a guide, who traverfing the
country near the head of Languedoc^ had brought
them over the mountains by fuch ways, that they
were not much incommoded with the fnow; and
where they met with fnow in any quantity, they faid
it was frozen hard enough to bear them and their
horfes.

We fent for this guide, who told us, he would
undertake to carry us the fame way, with no hazard
from the fnow, provided we were armed fufficiently
to prote<!l us from wild beafts ; for he faid, upon
thefe great fnows, it was frequent for fome

wolves

bF koBiNsoij cnusOEi 369

%olv6s to fliew themfelves at the foot of the mouri*
tains, being madfe ravenous for want of food, the
ground beifig covered ^th fnow^ We told him we
were well enough prepared for fuch creatures as they
were> if he would infure us from a kind of two^
leggedi wolves, which we \vere told we were in moft
danger from, efpecially on the French fide of the
mountains*

He fatisfied Us there was no danger of that kind
in the way that we were to go : fo we readily agreed
to follow him : as did alfo twelve other gentlemen^
with their fervants, fome French^ fome Spanifb^ who,
as I faidj had attempted to go, and were obliged to
tome back again.

Accordingly "v^e all fet out from Panipeluna^ with
Our guide, on the fifteenth of November ; tod in-
deed, I was furprifed, when, inftead of going for-
tsrard, he came diredly back with' tls, on the fame
road that we came from Madrid^ above twenty
miles; when having paffed two rivers, and come
ftito the plain country, we found durfelves in a warijt
climate again, where the country wast pleafant, and
no fnow to be feen j but oii a fudden, turning to the
left, he approached the mountains another way ; and
though it is true, the hills and the precipices looked
dreadfully, yet he made fo many tours, fuch meanders^
and led us by fuch winding ways, we infenfibly paffed
the height of the mountains, without being much
incumbered with the fnow ; and all on a fudden he
(hewed us the pleafant fruitful provinces of Langue^
doc and Gafcoigne^ all green and flouriihing ; though
Vol. I. B b indeed

^JO LltE AND ABVENTtrftEJl -

indeed they were at a great diftance, and we hail
Ibme rough way to pafs yet.

We were a little uneafy however, when we found
k fnowed one whole day and a night, fo faft, that we
could not travel ; but he bid us be eafy, we fhould
foon be paft it all : we found, indeed, that we begaiar
to defcend every day, and to come more north than
before j and fo, depending upon our guide, we weikt
on*

It was about two hours before night, when our
guide being fomething before us, and not joft iit
fight, out rufhed three raonftrous wolves, and after
them a bear, out of an hollow way, adjoining to a
thick wood ; two of the wolves flew upon the guide,
and had he been half a mile before us, he had been
devoured indeed, before we could have helped him j
one of them fattened upon his horfe, and the other at-
tacked the man with that violence, that he had not
time, or not prefence of mind enough, to draw his:
piftol, but hallooed and cried out to us moft luftily j
my man Friday being next to me, I bid him ride up^
and fee what was the matter : As foon as Friday
came in fight of the man, he hallooed, as loud as»
the other, O mailer ! O mafter 1 But, like a bold
fellow, rode diredly up to the man, and with hi»
piftol ftiot the wolf that attacked him in the head.

It was happy for the poor man that it was my mart
Friday ; for he, having been ufed to that kind of
creature in his country, had no fear upon him, but
went clofe up to him, and fhot him as above ; where-
as -any of u& would have fired at a farther diftance,
and have perhaps either miffed the wolf, or endai*-
gered Ihooting the man»

But

•^ tDF ROBINSON CRUSOE* j^Jl

l&ut it was enough to have terrified a bolder man
^an I, and indeed it alarmed all our company, when^
With the noife of Friday's piftol, we heard oh both
fides the difmalleft bowlings of wolves, and the noife
Redoubled by the echo of the mountains, that it was
to us as if there had been a prodigious multitude of
them J and perhaps indeed there was not fuch a few,
as that we had no caufe of apprehenfions.

However, a* Friday had killed this wolf, the
other, that had fsdlened upon the horfe, left him im^
mediately^ and fled, haying happily faftened upon
hj^head, where the boffes of the bridle had ftuck in
liis teeth, fo that he had not done him much hurt :
the man, indeed, was moft hurt ^ for the raging crea^
ture had bit him twice, once on the arm, and the
other time a little above his knee ; and he was juft
as it were tumbling down by the diforder of the
horfe, when Friday came up, and fhot the wolf*

It is eafy to fuppofe, that at the noife of Friday' t
piftol we all mended our pace, and rid up as faft as
the way (which was very difficult) would give jis
leave, to fee what was the matter } as foon as we
came clear of the trees, which blinded us before, we
faw plainly what had been the cafe, and how Friday
had difengaged the poor guide ; though we did not
prefently difcern what kind of creature it was he had
killed* '

But never was a fight managed fo hardily, and in
fuch a furprifing manner, as that which followed be-
tween Friday and the bear, which gave us all (though
at firft we were furprifed and afraid for him) the
greateft diverfion imaginable; as the bear is an
heavy, clumfy creature, and does not gallop as the
B b 2 wolf

37^ X-IFE ANI> ADVENTURfiSf

wolf does, which is fwift and light 5 fo he hasrtwdr
particular qualities, which generally are the rule of
his aftions ; firft, as to men, who are not his proper
prey, I fay not hi^ proper prey, becaufe though I can*t
fay what exceflive hunger might do^ which was now
their cafe, the ground being all covered with fnow ;
yet as to men, he does Hot ufually attempt them, ui>-
lefs they firft attack him ; on the contrafy, if you
meet him in the woods, if you don't meddle with
him, he won't meddle with you 5 yet then youmuft
take care to be very civil to him, and give him the
toad ; for he is a very nice gentleman, he won't go
a ftep out of the way for a prince ; nay, if you are
teally afraid, your beft way is to look another way,
and keep going on j for fomef imes, if you flop, an4
ftand ftill, and look ftedfaftly at him, he takes it for
an affront ; and if-yoti throw or tofs any thing at hint,
and it hits him, though it were but a bit of flick as
big as your finger, he takes it for an afFfont, and fets
all other bufinefs afide to purfue his revenge ; fbr he
will Tiave fatisfaftion in point of honour, and this
is his firft quality ; the next is, that if he be once
affronted, he will never leave you, night or day,
till he has his revenge, but follow at a good round
rate till he overtakes you.

My man Friday had delivered our guide, and
when we came up to him, he was helping him off
from his horfe ; for the man was both hurt and
frighted, and indeed the laft more than the firft ;
when, on a fudden, we efpied the bear come out of
the wood, and a very monftrous one it was, the
biggeft by far that ever I faw: we were all a little

furprlfed

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 373

furprifed when we faw him ; but when Friday (fa\Ar
him, it was eafy toXee joy and courage in the fellow's
countenance: O! O! O! fays Friday^ three times,
pointing to him, O mafter ! you give me te leave, me
fliakee te hand with him, me makee you good laugh.

I was furprifed to fee the fellow fo pleafed : You
fool you, faid I, he will eat you up. Eatee me up !
eatee me up ! fays Friday^ twice over again ; me
eatee him up ; me make you good laugh ; you all
ftay here, me fhew you good laugh : fo down he
fits, and gets his boots oflF in a moment, and put on
a pair of pumps (as we call the flat fhoes they wear)
and which he had in his pocket, and gives my other
fervant his horfe, and, with his gun, away he flew,
fwift like the wind.

The bear was walking foftly on, and offered to
meddle with nobody, till Friday coming pretty near,
calls to him, as if the bear could underftand him :
Hark ye, hark ye, fays Friday^ me fpeakee wit you.
We followed at a diftance ; for now being come
down to the Gafcoigne fide of the mountains, we
were entered a vaft great foreft, where the country
was plain, and pretty open, though many trees in it
fcattered here and there.

Friday^ who had, as we fay, the heels of the bear,
came up with him quickly, and takes up a great
ftone, and throws at him, and hit him juft on the
head; but did him no more harm thanif hehad thrown
it againfl: a wall ; but it anfwered Friday's end ; for
the rogue was fo void of fear, that he did it purely
to make the bear follow him, and fliew us fome laugh,
as he called it.

Bb3 As

374 ^JP2 AND ADVENTURES

As foon as the bear felt the ftone, and faw him, ha:
turns about, and comes after him, taking devililh.
long ftrides, and Ihuffling along at a ftrange rate, fa
as he would put an horfe to a middling gallop ; away
runs Friday^ and takes his courfe, as if he ran to-*'
\i^ards us for help ; fo we all refolved to fire at once
upon the bear, and deliver my man; though I was^
angry at him heartily for bringing the bear baci;
upon us, when he was going about his own bufinefa
another way ; and efpecially I was angry that he ha4
turned the bear upon us, and then run away ; and I
called out. You dog, faid I, is this your making us
laugh ? Come away, and take your horfe, that we
may fhoot the creature. He hears me, and cries out^v
No flioot, no fhoot, (land ftill, you get much laugh :•
and as the nimble creature ran two feet for the beaft's
one, he turned on a fudden, on one fide of us, find:
feeing a great oak tree, fit for his purpofe, he bec-»
koned us to follow, and doubling his pace, he geta
nimbly up the tree, laying his gun down upon thq
ground, at about five or fix yards from the botton^
of the tree.

The bear foon came to the tree, and we followed
at a diftance ; the firft thing he did, he fl:opped at the
gun, fmelt to it, but let it lie, and up he fcrambles
into the tree, climbing like a cat, though fo mon^
ftrous heavy : I was amazed at the folly, as I thought
it, of my man, and could not for my life fee any
thing to laugh at yet, till feeing the bear get up the
tree, we all rode nearer to him.

When we came to the tree, there was Friday got.
QUt to the fmall of ^ large limb of the tree, and the

bear

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 375

bear got about half way to him ; as foon as the bear
got out to that part where the limb of the tree was
weaker, Ha, fays he to us, now you fee me teachee
the bear dance ; fo he falls a jumping, and Ihaking
the bough, at which the bear began to totter, but
flood ftill, and began to look behind him, to fee how-
he fliould get back ; then indeed we did laugh hearti-
ly : But Friday had not done with him by a great
deal ; when he fees him ftand ftill, he calls out to
him again, as if he had fuppofed the bear could fpeak
EngliJIjy What, you come no farther ? Pray you come
farther. So he left jumping and fhaking the
bough ; and the bear, juft as if he underftood what
hefaid, did come a little farther ; then he fell a jump,
ing again, and the bear flopped again.

We thought now was a good time to knock him
on the head, and called to Friday to ftand ftill, and
we would fhoot the bear ; but he cried out earneft-
ly, O pray ! O pray ! no fhoot, me fhoot by and
then ; he would have faid, by and bye. However,
to fhorten the ftory, Friday danced fo much, and
the bear ftood fo ticklifli, that we had laughing
enough indeed, but ftill could not imagine what the
fellow would do ; for firft we thought he depended
upon fhaking the bear off" ; and we found the bear
was too cunning for that too ; for he would not
get out far enough to be thrown down, but clings
faft with his great broad claws and feet, fo that we
could not imagine what would be the end of it, and
where the jeft would be at laft.

But Friday put us out of doubt c^uickly ; for

feeing the bear cling faft to the bough, and that he

B b 4 would

37^ LIFE AND ADVENTURES

would not be perfuaded to come any farther ; Well,
well, faid Friday^ you no come farther, me go, me
go ; you no come to me, me come to you ; and upon
this he goes out to the fmalleft end of the bough,
where it would bend with his weight, and gently lets
himfelf down by it. Aiding down the bough, till he
came near enough to jump down on his feet, and
away he ran to his gun, takes it up, and ftands
ftill.

Well, faid I to him, Friday^ what will you do
now ? Why don't you Ihoot him ? No fhoot, faya
Friday^ no yet, me flioot now me no kill ; me ftay,
give you one more laugh ; and indeed fp he did, as
you will fee prefently ; for when the bear faw his
enemy gone, he comes back from the bough where
he flood, but did it mighty leifurely, looking behimi
him every ftep, and coming backward till he got into
the body of the tree ; then with the fiime hinder end .
foremoft, he came do\^Ti the tree, grafping it witb
his claws, and moving one foot at a time, very lei*.
furely ; at this jundure, and jufl before hq could fet
his hind feet upon the ground, Friday ftepp^ cjlofis^
to him, clapped the muzzle of his piece into hia
and ihot him as dead as a ftone,

Then the rogue turned about, to fee if we did not
laugh; and when he faw w e we*'" «?' *5|fed by our
looks, he falls a laii^'lupPHUttF il^So \i'c

kill bear in my c<^ ^B \i^ ^^U

them, faid
no guns.

This we
were ftill

the rogue turned about, to fee if we did no
md when he faw w e we?"" «■' *5|fed by ou
I falls a lau^'l^pPMmF ^II^So wi

in my coi^ ^H f^ ^^

id I imK ^ V ^^

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE.

377

hurt, and what to do we hardly knew ; the howling
of wolves ran much in my head ; and indeed ex-,
cept the noife I once heard on the fhore of Africa^
of which I have faid fomething already, I never
heard any thing that filled me with fo much hor-i
ror.

Thefe things, and the approach of night, called
us off, or elfe, as Friday would have had us, we
ihould certainly have taken the (kin of this mon-
Arous creature off, which was worth faving; but
we had three leagues to go, and our guide haftened
us ; fo we left him, and went forward on our jour-
ney.

The ground was ftill covered with fnow, though
not fo deep and dangerous as on the mountains ; and
the ravenous creatures, as we heard afterwards, were
come down into the forefl and plain country, preffed
by himger, to feek for food, and had done a great
4eal of mifchief in the villages, where they fur-
prifed the country people, killed a great many of their
fksep and horfes, and feme people too.

We had one dangerous place to pafs, of which
oiur guide told us^if there were any more wolves in
the cpuntry^ we niould find them there ; and this
was a finall plain, furrounded with woods on every
fide, and a long narrow defile or lane, which we
^s^ to get through the wood, and then we
^c village where we were to lodge.
*|f Ml *>nur of fun-iet when we
little ^er fun-fet.
We met with no-
in a little plain
within

37^ I^IFB AND ADVENTURES

within the wood, which was not above two furlong*
over, we faw five great wolves crofs the road, full
fpeed one .after another, as if they had been in chafe
of fome prey, and had it in view ; they took no no*
lice of us, and were gone and out of fight in a few
moments.

Opon this our guide, who, by the way, was a
wretched faint-hearted fellow, bade us keep in a rea-
dy pofture ; for he believed there were niore wolves
a coming.

We kept our arms ready, and our eyes about us ;
but we faw no more wolves till we came through that
wood, which was near half a league, and entered
the plain ; as foon as we came into the plain, we had
occafion enough to look about us. The fir ft objeft
we met with was a dead" horfe, that is to fay, a poor
horfe which the wolves had killed, and at leaft a do-,
zen of them at work ; we could not fay eating of
him, but picking of his bones rather ; for they had
eaten up all the flefli before.

We did not think fit to difturb them at their feaft,
neither did they take much notice of us ; Friday
would have let fly at them, but I would not fuflfer
him by any means ; for I found we were like to
have more bufinefs upon our hands than we were
aware of. We were not half gone over the plain,
but we began to hear the wolves howl in the woods,
on our left, in a frightful manner ; and prefently af-
ter we faw about an hundred coming on diredly to-
wards us, all in a body, and moft of them in a line,
as regularly as an army drawn up by experienced
officers. I fcarce knew in what manner to receive

them ;

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE* 379

them ; but found to draw ourfelves in a clofe line,
was the only way ; fo we formed in a moment j but,
that we might not have too much interval, I or-
dered, that only every other man fhould fire 5 and
that the others, who had not fired, fliould ftand ready
to give them a fecond volley immediately, if they conw
tinned to advance upon us ; and that then thofe who
had fired at firft, fliould not pretend to load their fu-
fils again, but ftand ready, with every one a piftol,
for we were all armed with a fufil, and a pair of pif-
tols each man ; fo we were, by this method, able to
fire fix volleys, half of us at a time ; however, at
prefent we had no neceflity ; for, upon firing the firft
volley, the enemy made a full ftop, being terrified,
as well with the noife as with the fire ; four of them,
being ftiot in the head, dropped ; feveral others were
wounded, and went bleeding off, as we could fee by
the fnow : I found they ftopped, but did not immedi-
ately retreat ; whereupon remembering that I had
been told, that the fierceft creatures were terrified
at the voice of a man, I caufed all our company to
halloo as loud as we could, and I found the notion
not altogether miftaken ; for upon our fliout, they
began to retire, and turn about ; then I ordered a
fecond volley to be fired in their rear, which put
them to the gallop, and away they went to the woods.
This gave us leifure to charge our pieces again,
and that we might lofe no time, we kept doing ; but
we had but little more than loaded our fufils, and
put ourfelves into a readinefs, when we heard a ter-
rible noife in the fame wood, on our left ; only that
it was farther onward the fame way we were to go.

Th«

380 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

The night was coming on, and the night began td
be dulky, which made it the worfe on our fide;
but, the noife increafmg, we could eafily perceive
that it was the howling and yelling of thofe hellifh
creatures ; and, on a fudden, we perceived two or
three troops of wolves on our left, one behind uSy
?Lnd one on our front, fo that we feemed to be fur-
rounded with them ; however, as they did not fall
ypon us, we kept our way forward, as faft as we
could make our horfes go, which, the way being
very rough, was only a good large trot; and in
this manner we only came in view of the entrance
of the wood through which we were to pafs, at
the farther fide of the plain ; but we were greatly
furprifed, when, coming near the lane, or pafs> we
few a confufqd number of wolves ftanding juft at
the entrance.

On a fudden, at another opening of the wood^
we heard the noife of a gun ; and, looking that
way, out rufhed an horfe, with a faddle and a
bridle on him, flying like the wind, and fixteen. or
feventeen wolves after him full fpeed : indeed the
horfe had the heels of them ; but as we fuppofe:
that he could not hold it at that rate, we doubted
not but they would get up with him at laft i and
no queftion but they did*

Here we had a moft horrible fight ; for, riding
up to the entrance where the horfe came out, we
found the carcafe of another horfe, and of two men
devoured by thefe ravenous creatures, and of one
the man was no doubt the fame whom we heard
fire a gun, for there lay a gun juft by him fired off;

but

W ROBINSON CRUSOE- 38 1

but as to the man, his head, and the upper part of
his body, were eaten up*

This filled us with horror, and we knew n6t
ivhat courfe to take ; but the creatures refolved us
foon, for they gathered about us prefently, in hopes
of prey ; and I verily believe there were three hun-
dred of them : It happened very much to our advan-
tage, that at the entrance into the wood, but a little
w^y from it, there lay fome large timber trees, which
had been cut down the fummer before, and I fup-
pofe lay there for carriage ; I drew my little troop in
among thefe trees, and placing ourfelves in a line
behind one long tree, I advifed them alj to alight,
and, keeping that tree before us, for a breaft-work,
to (land in a triangle, or three fronts, inclofing our
horfes in the centre.

We did fo, and it was well We did ; for never was
a more furious charge than the creatures made upon
us in this place ; they came on us with a growling
kind of a noife, and mounted the piece of timber
(which, as I faid, was our breaft-work,) as if they
were only ruftiing upon their prey ; and this fury of
theirs, it feems, was principally occafioned by their
feeing our horfes behind us» which was the prey they
aimed at : I ordered our men to fire as before, every
man ; and they took their aim fo fure, that indeed
they killed feveral of the wolves at the firft volley ;
but there was a neceffity to keep a continual firing,
for they came on like devils, thofe behind puftiing on
thofe before.

When we had fired our fecond volley of fufils,
we thought they ftopped a little, and I hoped they
would have gone off, but it was but a moment,

for

381 lIl'E AND AbVENTUfcjEfll

for otliers came forward again ; fo we fifed orif
volleys of piftolsj and I believe in thcfe fouf^
firings^ we killed feventeen or eighteen of them^
and lamed twice as many j yet they came on again^

I was loth to fpend our lafl: fliot too haftily ; f<*
I called my fervant, not my man Friday^ for he wa*
better employed) for, with the greateft dexterity
imaginable, he charged my fufil and his own, whild
we were engaged ; but, as I faid, I called my other
man ; and giving him a Rorn of powder, I bade hin4
lay a traki all along the piece of timber, and let it be
a large train ; he did fo, and had but time to get
away, when the wolves came up to it, and fome were
got up upon it ; when I, fnapping an uncharged piftol
clofe to the powder, fet it on fire ; and thofe that
were upon the timber were fcorched with it, and fi^fc
or feven of them fell, or rather jumped in among
us, with the force and fright of the fire ; we dif-
patched thefe in an inftant, and the reft were fa
frighted with the light, which the night, for now ic
was very near dark, made more terrible, that they
drew back a little.

Upon which I ordered our laft piitols to be fired
off in one volley, and after that we gave a fhout j
upon this the wolves turned tail, and we fallied imme-'
diately upon near twenty lame ones, which we found
ftruggling on the ground, and fell a cutting them with
our fwords, which anfwered our. expedation } for
the crying and- howling they made were better un-
derftood by their fellows ; fo that they fled and left
us.

We had, firft and laft, killed about three fcore of
them J and had it been day-light, we had killed

many

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 383

many mere : The field of battle being thus t^ared,
we made forward again j for we had ftill near a
league to go ; we heard the ravenous cieatures howl
and yell in the woods as we went, feveral times ; and
fometimes we fancied we faw fome of them, but the
fnow dazzling our eyes, we were not certain ; fo in
about an hour xssore we came to the town, where we
•were to lodge, which we found in a terrible fright,
and all in arms ; for, it feems, that, the night be-
fore, the wolves and fome bears had broken into that
village, and put them in a terrible fright ; and they
were obliged to keep guard night and day, bi<l efpe-
ciallyinthe night, to preferve their cattle, anfl in-
deed their people.

The next morning our guide was fo ill, and his
limbs fo fwelled with the rankling of his two
wounds, that he could go no farther ; fo we were
obliged to take a new guide there, and go to Tho*
loufey where we found a warm climate, a fruitful,
pleafant country, and no fnow, no wolves, or any
thing like them; but when we told bur flory at
Tholoufej they told us it was nothing but what was
ordinary in the great forefl at the foot of the moun-
tains, efpecially when the fnow lay on the ground ;
but they enquired much what kind of a guide we
had gotten, that would venture to bring us that
way in fuch a fevere feafon ; and told us, it was very
much we were not all devoured : When we told
them how we placed ourfelves, and the horfes in the
middle, they blamed us exceedingly, and told us it
was fifty to one but we had been all deftroyed ; for
it was the fight of the horfes that made the wolves
fo furious, feeing their prey j and that at other times

they

384 MtE AMD AfeVEJJ'fUftftS

they are really afraid of a gun ; but they being fig*
ceffivc hungry, and raging on that account, the te*
gernefs to come at the horfes had made them f^e^*
lefs of daiigei- ; and that if we had not by the cah^
tinned fire, and at laft by the ftratagem of the train
of powder, mattered them, it had been great odds
but that we had been torn to pi>c\:s j whereas^ had
we been content to have fat ftill on horfebafck, and
fired as hotfemen, they would not have takem thd
horfes fo much for their own, when meli were on
their backs, as otherwife j and withal they told us^
that at laft, if we had ftood altdgetherj and left our
horfes, they would have been fo eager to have de.
voured them, that we might have come off fafe^
efpecially having our fire-arms in our hands, an.(t
being fo many in number.

For my part, I was never fo fenfible of danger irt
my life ; for feeing above three huDfcdred devils come
^roaring and open-mouthed to devour us, and hairi][ig'
nothing to Ihelter us, or retreat to, I gave myfelf
over for loft, ; and as it was, I believe, -I fhall neyef
care to crofs thofe mountains again 5 1 think I would
much rather go a thoiifand league^ by fea, thought'
I were fure to meet with a ftorm once a week.-

I have nothing uncommon to take notice of fit '
my paffage through France ; nothing but what other
travellers have given an account of, with much more
advantage than I can: I travelled from Tholoufeto
Paris J and without any confiderable ftay, came to?
Calais^ and landed fafe at Dover^ the fourteenth of
January^ after having had a fevere cold feafon to
travel in.

I wacsi

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE^ 385

I was no^V come to the centre of my travels, and
had in a little time all my new difcovered eftate fafe
about me, the bills of ' exchange, which I brought
with me, having been very currently paid.

My principal guide and privy counfellor, was my
good ancient widow, who, in gratitude for the money
I had fent her, thought no pains too much, or care
too great, to employ for me; and Itrufted her fo
entirely with every thing, that I was perfectly eafy
as to the fecurity of my efFeds ; and indeed I was
very happy from my beginning, and now to the end,
in the unfpotted integrity of this good gentlewoman.

And now I began to think of leaving my effefts
with this woman, and fetting out for Lijbon, and fo
to the Brajils : but now another fcfuple came in the
way, and that was religion ; for as I had entertained
fome doubts about the Roman religion, even while I
was abroad, efpecially in my ftate of folitude ; fo I
knew there was no going to the Brqfils for me, much
lefs going to fettle there, unlefs I refolved to embrace
the Roman Catholic religion, without any referve j
except on the other hand I refolved to be a facrifice
to my principles, be a martyr for religion, and die
in the inquifition : fo I refolved to ftay at home, and,
if I could find means for it, to difpofe of my planta-
tion.

To this purpofe I wrote to my old friend at Lijbon^
who in return gave me notice, that he could eafily
difpofe of it there : but that if I thought fit to give
him leave to offer it in my name to the two merchants,
the furvivors of my truflees who lived in the Brajils^
who mufl fully underftand the value of it, who lived

Vol. L C c jufl:

38$ LIFE AND APVENTIJIl^d

juft upon the fpot, an4 who I knew to be very rich,
fo that he beUeved they would be fgnd of buying i% {
he did not doubt, but 1 fliould make 4 or ^000 pieces
pf eight the more of it.

Accordingly I agreed, gave him orders to offer it
to them, and he did fo j and in about eight months
more, the fliip being then returned, hq fent me an
ftccount, that they had accepted the offer, and ha4
remitted 33,000 pieces of eight to a corfefpondpnt of
theirs ?it Lijbon^ to pay for it.

Jn return, I figned the inftrument of fale iji the
form which they fent from Lijbony find fent it to my
pld man, who fent me the bills of exchange for
32,800 pieces of eight for the eftate ; referving thef
payment of loo moidores a ye^r, to him, (the old
man,) during his life, and 50 moidores after^r^s
to his fon for his life^ Which I had promifcd thepi^
and which the plantation was to irxake good as a rent
charge. And thus I have given the firft part of a
life of foitune and adventure, a life of Providence*^
chequer- work, ajidof a variety which thp world .will
feldom be able to fliew the like of: beginning foolifli*
ly, but clofing much more happily than any part of
it ever gave me leave fo much as to hope for.

Any one would think, that in this ftate of com-
plicated good fortune, I was paft running any more
hazards, ^nd fo indeed I had been, if other circum^
fiances had concurred : but I was inured to a wandetr
ing life, had no femily, nor many relations ; nor^
however rich, had I contracted much acquaintance ;
and though I had fold my eftate in the Brqfilsj yet
I could not keep that country out of my head,. and
}iad a great mind to be upon the wing agai^^
I efpeci«iilv

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 387

efpecially I could not refift the ftrong inclination I
had to fee my ifland, and to know if the poor
Spaniards were in being there j and how the rogues
I left there had ufed them.

My true friend the widow earneftly diffuaded me
from it, and fo far prevailed with me, that almoft
for feven years (he prevented my running abroad ;
during which time I took my two nephews, the chil-
dren of one of my brothers, into my care : the eldeft
having fomething of his own, I bred up as a gentle-
man, and gave him a fettlement of fome addition
to his eftate, after my deceafe ; the other I put out
to a captain of a fhip ; and after five years, finding
him a fenfible, bold, enterprifing young fellow, I
put him into a good fhip, and fent him to fea : and
this young fellow afterwards drew me in, as old as I
was, to farther adventures myfelf.

In the mean time, I in part fettled myfelf here :
for, firfl of all I married, and that not either to my
difadvantage or diffatisfaftion ; and had three chil-
dren, two fons and one daughter : but my wife dying,
and my nephew coming home with good fuccefs from
a voyage to Spain^ my inclination to go abroad, and
his importunity, prevailed, and engaged me to go
in his fhip as a private trader to the Eajidndies. This
was in the year 1694.

In this voyage I vifited my * new colony in the
ifland, faw my fucceffors the Spaniards^ had the
whole flory of their lives, and of the villains I left
there ; how at firfl they infulted the poor Spaniards^
how they afterwards agreed, difagreed, united, fepa-
rated, and how at lafl the Spaniards were obliged to
ufe violence with them ; how they wer^ fubjefted to

C c 3 the

388 LIFE AND ADVENTURES

the Spaniards ; how honeftly the Spaniards ufed them;
an hiftory, if ic were entered into, as full of variety
and wonderful accidents as my own part; particu-
larly alfo as to their battles with the Caribbeans^ who
landed feveral times upon the ifland, and as to the
improvement they made upon the ifland itfelf ; and
how five of them made an attempt upon the maia
land, and brought away eleven men and five women
prifoners j by which, at my coming, I found about
twenty young children on the ifland.

Here I ftayed about twenty days ; left them fupplies
of all neceflary things, and particularly of arms,
powder, fliot, clothes, tools, and two . workmen,
which I brought from England with mej viz. a
carpenter and a fmith.

Befides this, I fliared the land into parts with
them, referved to myfelf the property of the whole,
but gave them fuch parts, refpeftively, as they agreed
on J and, .having fettled all things with them, and
engaged them not to leave the place, I left them
there.

From thence I touched at the Braftls^ from whence
I fent a bark, which I bought there, with more peo-
ple, to the ifland ; and in it, befides other fupplies,
I fent feven women, being fuch as I found proper
for fervice, or for wives to fuch as would take them.
As to the EngUJJjmen^ I promifed them to fend them
fome women from Englflnd^ with a good cargo of necef-
faries, if they would apply themfelves to planting ;
which I afterwards could not perform : the fellows
proved very honefl and diligent, after they were
mafliered, and had their properties fet apart for them*
I fent them alfo from the Brafils five cows, three of
4 them

OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 389

them being big with calf, fome fheep, and fome hogs,
which, when I came again, were confiderably in-
creafed.

But all thefe things, with an account how 300
Caribbees came and invaded them, and ruined their
plantations, and how they fought with that whole
number twice, and were at firft defeated and one of
them killed ; but at laft a ftorm deftroying their ene-
mie*s canoes, they famiflied or deftroyed almoft all
the reft, and renewed and recovered the poffeffion
of their plantation, and ftill lived upon the ifland.

All thefe things, with fome very furprifmg inci-
dents in fome new adventures of my own, for ten
years more, I may, perhaps, give a farther account
of hereafter.

r,ND OF Till:: riR^T volume.